PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) has doubled admission quota for the students of former Federally Administered Tribal Areas in medical and dental colleges in all the provinces.

A total of 136 seats have been increased in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which will induct 272 students in public sector medical and dental colleges for the current academic year.

The PMC issued a notification regarding breakup of distribution of new seats in the province’s colleges in response to a request made by the Khyber Medical University on December 20 following government’s approval for implementing the cabinet’s decision of 2017.

The additional seats included 120 of MBBS and 16 of BDS, which according to the notification was a one-time permission.

The medical colleges of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been admitting 136 students from seven tribal districts under quota system since 1960s. Permanent residents of tribal districts had about 39 seats in other provinces, too, that have been increased to 78.

Additional seats in KP include 120 of MBBS, 16 BDS

The allocation of quota in admission to the medical and dental colleges was started to enable the students of the backward areas to catch up with the ones doing FSc from settled districts. Admissions were given to students doing intermediate from colleges based in tribal areas and the rest of seats go to those passing from colleges in settled districts, but possessing the relevant domicile certificate.

The notification said that 50 additional seats had been reserved in the Khyber Girls Medical College, Peshawar, 15 in Gomal Medical College, Dera Ismail Khan, 10 each in Kohat Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Bannu Medical College, Nowshera Medical Complex, Gajju Medical College, Swabi, and Saidu Medical College, Swat, and five in Bacha Khan Medical College, Mardan.

It said that five additional slots had been created in KIMS and Khyber College of Dentistry, Peshawar, and three each in Ayub Dental Section Abbottabad and Bacha Khan Dental Section, Mardan, where they would be admitted for the academic session 2019-20.

Khyber Medical University vice-chancellor Prof Arshad Javaid told Dawn that no seat had been created in Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, and Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad, because both had over 250 students and lacked space. Also, the highest number of students on tribal seats had been admitted to KMC (35) and AMC (30) on tribal quota.

He said that a notification regarding enhancement in medical and dental seats for students belonging to former Fata had been received from the PMC and due process was underway to enrol additional students in the affiliated medical and dental colleges.

“Admissions to public sector colleges have been completed, but we have the merit list and we will soon be issuing letters to tribal students according to the PMC’s breakup,” he said.

He said that the decision in this respect had been taken in the cabinet meeting in 2017 and was later discussed and approved by the Senate. He said that the recommendation was sent to the provincial government, which accepted it.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2019