ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court rejected a petition seeking more than four attempts each for clearing MBBS year one and two.

Talking to Dawn, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) President Dr Shabbir Lehri said those who take more than four attempts to clear their first or second year of MBBS cannot become doctors and should not waste public money or that of their parents.

During the last five years, the PMDC has struck off the names of some 300 students who did not manage to clear their exams in four attempts. Some students say they should have unlimited chances to clear MBBS exams as was the practice some two decades ago.

Some students had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court in this regard. The petition was heard by a three member bench including Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Munir Alam and Justice Dost Mohammad Khan and was rejected on Aug 10.

The court’s order, which has been received by the council and is available with Dawn, says the petitioner was upset because she could not adjust to college life and could not clear her exams in four attempts. The order says that the law made by the PMDC in this regard is absolutely valid and correct.

A PMDC official said the council had decided a decade and a half ago that students should have no more than four chances to clear their first and second year of MBBS each because some students had been studying in colleges for 15 years, were making student unions and were involved in unlawful activities.

“Some students are demanding unlimited chances and others are asking that they should be able to use their eight chances across both years. For instance, six chances in the first year and two in the second,” he said, adding that the council can now use the SC decision in case of pressure from influential people or institutions.

Dr Lehri explained that students are given the additional three chances because of the possibility that students can fall ill or can fail exams due to other reasons.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2017