The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services (NHS) in Pakistan has made a significant recommendation to lower the passing percentage for the National Licensing Exam (NLE) from 70% to 50%. This decision followed a detailed discussion on NLE pass rates, both historically and in comparison to other countries. The committee noted that in 2012, the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) had a pass rate of 50%, which remained consistent in 2017 and 2019. However, in 2021, the passing percentage was raised to 70%.
During the meeting, an official from PMDC stated that many developed countries have a 70% pass rate for licensing exams. Senator Prof. Mehr Taj Roghani disagreed, mentioning that several countries have a pass rate of 50% or even lower.
Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi supported Senator Roghani’s view, and together they recommended reducing the pass percentage to 50%.
Additionally, the committee discussed other healthcare matters, including the MRI machine at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), which has been operational since October 13 and is set to be officially inaugurated by the federal health minister on October 27. Polyclinic Hospital will also receive an MRI machine in four months, as the committee emphasized the need for more MRI machines in government hospitals in Islamabad.
Furthermore, the committee discussed employee deputations between PIMS and other hospitals, revealing that 24 PIMS employees are currently working at other hospitals, while 49 employees from other hospitals are on deputation at PIMS. These changes aim to optimize healthcare staffing and resources.