Islamabad - The foreign medical graduates, already in a legal battle with Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), demanded from the council to permit them to appear in upcoming National Examination Board (NEB) exam, Monday.

The students on protest had obtained less than 60percent marks in their intermediate examination and left for other countries including China, Russia and central Asian states to get medical education.

Around two dozen medical students from different cities reached PMDC to submit their documents for the registration of NEB exam which is likely to be held in the upcoming month.

The students brought the recent Lahore High Court (LHC) judgment with them and demanded from the council to take their documents for the registration in the upcoming exam.

The judgment said “impugned Regulations 48 and 60 of the Practitioners Regulations are declared illegal, unlawful and ultra vires the section 15read with section 33 of the PMDC ordinance. The respondents are directed to allow the petitioners to sit in the forthcoming NEB Examination (if not possible within three months from today) and if they are found in possession of sufficient knowledge and skills to be registered as practitioners for the purpose of the PMDC Ordinance, they shall be recommended to the Federal Government to issue a notification in their favor to register them and their qualification”.

Talking to The Nation Dr. Tariq said that he had less than 60percent marks in intermediate and went to China for MBBS degree and now applying for NEB exam.

“The PMDC does not consider us eligible for NEB exam however, LHC has allowed us, now the council is not registering us for the upcoming exam,” he said.

He said that the council in 2015 had intimated to the embassies of the countries including China, Russia and Central Asian states to not admit the students in medical education who had less than 60percent marks in intermediate.

“PMDC claimed it had the said rule in 2009 but it intimated the embassies in 2015,” he said.

Another participant Dr. Qurat said that the eligibility case of the foreign medical graduates was subjudice since 2017. However, now the court had given its verdict in favor of students.

“But PMDC is not listening to students and arguing that it will take the matter to Supreme Court,” she said.

Dr. Amjad another MBBS from China said that dozens of students from different cities reached PMDC with the hope that they will be allowed to sit in the upcoming NEB exam, but after wasting whole day, were denied by the council.

“We need solution for our future,” he said.

The students were carrying placards and banners against the policies of the PMDC, urging the regulating body to accept the decision of LHC and take their documents for NEB exams. 

A senior official at PMDC talking to The Nation said that council is holding talks with the students at protest.

PMDC has certain rules and it will follow them, while the students are not interpreting the decsion completely as per law.