PMDC cracks down on universities offering unrecognised postgrad courses

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has said that 10 universities have been found offering unrecognised postgraduate programmes and has directed them to immediately discontinue any such courses offered to MBBS and BDS doctors. pic.twitter.com/IgryBdVBya — Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (@pmdcofficial) March 25, 2026 According to a notification issued by the council, it was said that the following universities have been offering and awarding postgraduate degrees and diplomas to MBBS and BDS doctors without fulfilling the mandatory requirement of recognition or accreditation under Section 25 of the PM&DC Act, 2022: Multan’s TIMES University, NUR International University in Lahore, Gomal University in DI Khan, Sohail University in Karachi, Shah Abdul Latif University in Khairpur, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology in Rahim Yar Khan, University of Faisalabad, University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Hazara University in Mansehra, and Kohat University of Science & Technology. “Any institution seeking recognition to offer or award postgraduate medical or dental qualifications must apply strictly in accordance with the prescribed procedure under Section 25 of the PM&DC Act, 2022, prior to commencing such programmes,” the notification stated. Read: PMDC makes student registration a must Furthermore, it said that Section 34 of the PM&DC Act, 2022, explicitly prohibits the establishment or operation of any institution for training or awarding medical or dental qualifications, including additional qualifications—without prior recognition from PM&DC. The same provision also prohibits universities from granting affiliation to unrecognised institutions or programmes. “All universities are hereby directed to immediately discontinue any unrecognised postgraduate programmes offered to MBBS and BDS doctors,” it said, adding that no degree-awarding institution, university, or training institute shall advertise, launch, or conduct any postgraduate medical or dental qualification or training programme without prior formal recognition from PM&DC. “Trainees/residents (MBBS/BDS doctors) currently enrolled in postgraduate programmes offered by the aforementioned universities shall not be considered, and their qualifications shall not be registered by PM&DC,” the notification concluded.