DG Khan Medical College PMDC inspection sparks transparency debate

Islamabad: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) inspection of Dera Ghazi Khan Medical College (DGKMC), scheduled for undergraduate seat enhancement from 100 to 150, has come under discussion after an audio recording surfaced in which students were reportedly guided on responses during the regulatory visit.

The alleged audio, circulating among students and social circles, has raised questions about the transparency of the inspection process and whether students were being encouraged to present a particular viewpoint before the PMDC inspection team. The recording has not been independently verified, and no official finding has so far been issued against any individual or the institution.

According to the alleged audio, a senior official from the Department of Medical Education is heard requesting class representatives to communicate with students before the PMDC visit and advising them regarding possible questions from inspectors about the learning environment, teaching system, skills laboratory, clinical rotations, assessment procedures and academic activities.

The message also mentioned that students should give positive responses regarding academic facilities and avoid negative comments during interactions with inspectors, stating that PMDC recognition and seat enhancement were linked to the students future.

The development has triggered debate among medical education circles, with observers stating that students independent feedback is considered an important part of regulatory inspections because it helps inspectors understand the actual academic environment beyond official records and presentations.

Responding to questions regarding the inspection, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) clarified that the visit to DG Khan Medical College is a routine scheduled inspection being conducted for enhancement of undergraduate seats from 100 to 150 under PMDC’s regulatory framework.

Registrar PMDC Syed Rehan Asghar Naqvi stated that the college had satisfactorily addressed observations raised during the previous inspection and that the compliance submitted by the institution was found satisfactory. PMDC, however, did not issue any specific comment regarding the alleged audio controversy.

Principal Dera Ghazi Khan Medical College Professor Dr. Bilal Saeed confirmed that the PMDC visit was related to the proposed increase in MBBS seats. He stated that the previous PMDC visit was conducted in January 2026 regarding postgraduate training discipline accreditation and that all 44 disciplines received approval.

Meanwhile, some students have raised concerns regarding faculty availability and infrastructure capacity in connection with the proposed seat enhancement.

Students have pointed out that several teachers are working as visiting faculty members, including faculty members coming from institutions such as Nishtar Medical University, Multan. They questioned whether increasing student intake should be accompanied by further strengthening of permanent faculty arrangements.

Students have also expressed concerns regarding existing infrastructure, stating that although lecture theatres and academic facilities are available, the current infrastructure design may face challenges in accommodating additional students without affecting the quality of education.

The controversy has once again brought attention towards the history of DG Khan Medical College, which faced regulatory challenges during its early years after establishment.

In its initial phase, the college faced issues related to faculty shortages, infrastructure development and affiliation arrangements. The college was initially linked with Ghazi University, a move that created regulatory and administrative concerns, before later shifting towards the University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lahore framework.

During 2015 and 2016, students had staged protests over recognition delays and faculty shortages, expressing concerns about uncertainty regarding their MBBS degrees and professional future.

Over the years, DG Khan Medical College improved its regulatory position and is currently functioning as a recognized public sector medical institution.

The latest debate, however, has shifted focus towards inspection transparency, student participation, availability of permanent faculty and whether existing infrastructure is sufficient before increasing the number of medical students.

Medical education experts say that regulatory inspections should not only examine documents and official claims but should also ensure that students and faculty members are able to provide independent feedback about the actual learning environment.