LAHORE: The University of Health Sciences (UHS) Lahore has finally adjusted 131 out of 151 students against the vacant seats in private sector medical and dental colleges across Punjab under the centralised admission policy. Another 20 students will also be accommodated in the days to come on the basis of the choice of their respective colleges and the merit calculated by the UHS under the policy.

These 151 students were from among a total 200 other aspirants who had deposited their prescribed fee with the UHS to join the classes for the academic session 2023-24.

The 200 students were denied admission by the Azra Naheed Medical and Azra Naheed Dental Medical College following a tussle with the UHS when they (colleges) rejected the new central admission policy. Both colleges are the constituent colleges of the Superior University, Lahore.

The caretaker Punjab government declared the University of Health Sciences (UHS) the ‘Admitting University’ on July 5, 2023 to conduct the Medical & Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT)-2023 for admission to all the public and private sector medical and dental colleges across the province for the academic session 2023-24.

The MDCAT-2023 was conducted in Punjab on Sept 10, 2023, in which 65,221 candidates appeared.

200 students were denied admissions by colleges owned by private university

An official, privy to the process, said the UHS was under immense pressure from the parents of the 200 students to accommodate them when the abovementioned two colleges out of 49 private medical and dental colleges rejected the policy.

As per the decision of the Provincial Admission Committee (PAC) on Jan 12, 2024, the UHS had placed these fresh candidates, based on their merit and preferences, at the Azra Naheed Medical College, Lahore, and the Azra Naheed Dental College, Lahore, on Jan 15 in the second selection list for the private sector colleges.

So far, the official said, 151 candidates had deposited their fee with the UHS in accordance with the policy for the aforementioned two colleges.

However, when these 200 candidates approached both the colleges for joining, the colleges administration declined to accept their admissions while refusing to accept the centralised admission policy of the government. Consequently, the UHS had to adjust those who had deposited the prescribed fee with it.

However, the official added, the move did not signify a retreat from the government’s stance and the government would wait for Lahore High Court ’s final verdict on the matter where the case was pending.

In the provisional order, the official said, the LHC had allowed the UHS to proceed with the central admission policy.

To a question, the official said over 400 seats were available at the private medical and dental colleges of Punjab when 4th list was displayed on Feb 7.

The UHS began to adjust the 200 affected students of two private medical and dental colleges against the vacant slots. He added that the UHS would also accommodate the other affectees soon after they submit their fee.

The other vacant seats would be filled from the waiting lists of the candidates, the official said.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2024