APROPOS the letter `Medical admissions` (Jan 12). The new system of admissions to private medical colleges has been devised by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Councilunderthe directive ofthe Supreme Court of Pakistan and is working all over Pakistan, not just Karachi.

The previous system of admissions to private medical colleges was discontinued to check the financial irregularities by some private medical colleges during the admission process. As per new regulations, a centralised admissions policy is being applied on both public and private sector medical and dental colleges, in which students can choose a college based on their open merit position. This is a fair and justifiable method in which a student cannot be rejected admission because of an inability to pay extra money.

Jinnah Sindh Medical University was identified by the PM&DC as the admitting university for the province of Sindh. It is simply implementing the rules and regulations devised by the PM&DC. It has not created its own policy.

As far as the higher marks of students from Punjab are concerned, students from each province are being given preference in admissions, hence this apprehension is baseless.

JSMU has neither created the new system nor can it change it on its own. It is simply an implementing institution in this regard.

Public Relations Officer, Jinnah Sindh Medical University Karachi