ISLAMABAD: A large number of doctors who have obtained their degrees from China, Russia and other countries held a protest outside Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) demanding that they should be allowed to sit the National Examination Board (NEB) test.

The protesters, who secured less than 60pc marks in FSc (pre-medical), claimed that the Lahore High Court (LHC) in a recent ruling had directed the PMDC to allow them to sit the test.

During the daylong protest, the graduates blocked the road and chanted slogans against the PMDC. Later, they were allowed to meet PMDC President retired Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan.

However, the graduates could not get an assurance that they would be allowed to participate in the NEB test.

Doctors who obtained less than 60pc marks in FSc seek permission to sit the National Examination Board exam to become eligible for practicing

The NEB test is conducted by the PMDC for doctors who obtained their medical degrees from non-English speaking countries.

The exam was introduced after complaints that doctors who studied in languages other than English faced problems in treating patients. Moreover, there were also complaints about the quality of their medical education.

In 2012, through an act of parliament it was made mandatory that foreign graduates would have to pass the NEB test to become eligible for practicing in Pakistan.

It was also decided medical graduates having less than 60pc marks in FSc would not be considered for the NEB test.

Dr Ramzan Tariq, one of the protesters, told Dawn that the PMDC management did not bother to hear their issues.

“We had to block the road after which the president of the council called us to have a meeting with him but we were not given any assurance that we would be allowed to attend the NEB exam,” he said.

In reply to a question, Mr Tariq said he went to China in 2011 and returned after completion of MBBS in 2017.

“The PMDC has been saying that graduates who had less than 60pc marks in FSc cannot attend the NEB test as in 2009 it was decided that the minimum percentage of marks to get admission to a medical college would be 60.

“Unfortunately, till 2015, no one including embassies were informed about it due to which a large number of students proceeded abroad.”

Mr Tariq said some of the graduates had filed applications in the LHC and got a verdict in their favour.

“When we informed the council about the court order, its officials said they were not aware of it. We said every student has the copy of the court order but representatives of the council said even if the court had issued such an order, they would challenge it,” he said.

The protesters said they would continue their struggle to get permission to attend the NEB test.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2018