ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) has decided not to enhance the quota of provinces in medical and dental colleges.

However, the provincial governments can apply to the PMC for an emergency enhancement to regularise the past over and above quota seats whose allocation shall not be in excess of 10pc of the existing seat allocation of a college.

Parliamentary committees have a number of times directed the PMC to enhance the quota of Balochistan and former Fata.

According to a statement issued by PMC, a meeting was convened between the representatives of the federal government, provincial and AJK governments and the HEC regarding requests made by standing committees of the Senate and the National Assembly relating to quota seats for Balochistan and Fata.

It was agreed that no over and above admissions can be allowed by the PMC.

However, a provincial government may apply to the PMC for an emergency enhancement to regularise the past over and above quota seats whose allocation shall not be in excess of 10pc of the existing seat allocation of a college or in very specific cases for exceptional reasons up to 20pc of the allocated admission capacity of the relevant college.

The approval of these requests would be subject to the 2019 inspection reports of the colleges. Any request for the emergency enhancement in excess of 10pc would be subject to a comprehensive inspection of the relevant college within six months.

The agreed policy would only be applicable to public colleges and include an undertaking by the provincial government to ensure all facilities necessary to accommodate the increased seats.

Subsequent to the meeting, a request from the government of Punjab for enhancement of seats in public colleges in the province to accommodate different quota seats which, in the past, had caused admissions over and above the allocated admissions capacities, was received.

The PMC, after due consideration and in pursuance of the agreed policy for public colleges, granted enhancement of up to 10pc of existing allocated seats of 13 public colleges in Punjab whereas in the case of two colleges, 20pc enhancement was allowed for exceptional reasons subject to inspection. As a result, 240 seats in 15 public colleges in Punjab stand enhanced to primarily accommodate the quota seats which had been accommodated on an over and above basis.

The PMC is awaiting any similar requests by any of the other provinces or AJK within the deadline of Jan 29 for being applicable for the 2021 session.

Meanwhile, it was decided that the practice of over and above seats shall at no time be permitted in the future as clearly laid down by the PMC.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2021