Medical students up in arms against NLE test condition

Medical students on Saturday staged protest demonstrations in Lahore and Sargodha to press their demands against the government's new medical policy, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The government has announced the National Licensing Exam (NLE) test for medical students in the new policy. 

Protesters said that the introduction of the exam showed the government does not trust its own system. The protesting students said that the government has set an NLE exam passing percentage to 70.

“An affidavit is submitted at the time of admission to medical and NLE was not mentioned in the statement and we are not obliged to give the NLE test,” the protesters said.

The protesters urged the authorities to set NLE passing marks to be kept at 50 percent.

Pakistan Medical Council’s NLE test is compulsory whether you study in Pakistan or any other country. 

All those graduates who are currently in house jobs or will appear in house jobs can do house jobs without NLE but after the completion, the house job must clear the National Licensing Examination to get permanent registration.

Members of the Grand Medical Alliance blocked a road in front of the Lahore Press Club to press for their demands. The protesters also demanded removal of PMC Vice-President Ali Raza from his post.

They threatened to stage a mega protest at D-Chowk Islamabad if the government did not withdraw the NLE test condition within 30 days.