Syed Muhammad Yaseen
Quetta/Peshawar: In a significant development, delegations of HEC aspirants led by Students Nexus by SMY met with Governor KPK Faisal Karim Kundi and Governor Balochistan Sheikh Jaffar Mandokhail to address the ongoing medical seats reduction issue for students from Ex-FATA and Balochistan under the HEC Scholarship Program.
The controversy erupted after the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) issued a letter reducing the HEC reserved medical seats from 333 to 194, putting the future of hundreds of deserving students at risk. The latest PMDC directive instructed HEC not to accept more than 194 medical students under the HEC Medical Scholarship, a move that has been widely condemned by students and social organizations.
During the meeting, Governor Balochistan Sheikh Jaffar Mandokhail assured his full support to the students and announced that he would send an open letter to the President of Pakistan and PMDC to find a solution to the issue. On the other hand, Governor KPK Faisal Karim Kundi encouraged the students to remain in contact and promised to raise the issue with higher authorities.
The students have not only demanded the restoration of 333 seats but are also advocating for an increase in the quota from 333 to 500 seats to accommodate more students from marginalized regions like Ex-FATA and Balochistan.
A critical meeting between HEC aspirants and PMDC and HEC authorities is set to take place tomorrow in Islamabad, where the students will present their demands and discuss future action if their concerns are not addressed.
“After years of hard work, seeing our future at risk is heartbreaking. The reduction is unfair – instead of decreasing seats, the government should increase them considering the growing number of students from underprivileged areas,” said Suleman Shah, one affected student.
The issue has ignited a massive social media campaign under the hashtag #SaveHECSeats, with students and activists urging the government to protect the educational rights of Ex-FATA and Balochistan students under the HEC Scholarship Program.
The aspirants have called on the government to intervene and ensure the immediate restoration of 333 seats with an increment to 500 seats to promote equal access to education for students from conflict-affected regions.
A/s Respected sir….Apny HEC ki seats km kr k bhttt Galat kia h Hamy ek asra HEC ka tha k wahn seat hona possible h please ap log dobara sy seats ko 194 sy 333 kr den seats ziada kr den ap logo ko population or competition ko dekh k seats ko or double krna chye tha na k reduce…apsy request h k please hamra future tabha na kryn seats dobra sy double krden🙏🙏