Senate Panel Recommends Cutting NLE Pass Percentage by 20%

The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services (NHS) has recommended reducing the passing percentage for the National Licensing Exam (NLE) by 20%, from 70% to 50%.
In a meeting, the committee’s members had a detailed discussion about the passing marks for previous and upcoming NLE examinations, particularly in comparison to other countries.
The members of the health committee noted that in 2012, the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) passed 50 percent of the candidates. Additionally, the success ratio for the NLE exam was the same in 2017 and 2019, however, in 2021 the passing percentage was set at 70%.
During the meeting, the PMDC official stated that the passing percentage is 70% in developed countries. Responding to the official’s statement, Senator Prof. Mehr Taj Roghani said that the licensing exam percentage was 50% or even less in several countries.

Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi agreed with his fellow senator and recommended reducing the percentage to 50%.

During the committee’s meeting, other important matters, including the issue of the MRI machine at PIMS, were also discussed. The PIMS executive director informed that the MRI machine has been functional since October 13. He added that it is scheduled to be officially inaugurated by the federal health minister on October 27.
Furthermore, the Polyclinic Hospital will also get an MRI machine within four months. The committee’s Chairman, Dr Humayun Mohmand, emphasized that there should be six to seven MRI machines at government hospitals in Islamabad.

Moreover, while discussing the matter of deputation of employees at PIMS and Polyclinic hospitals, it was revealed that 24 employees of PIMS are working on deputation at other hospitals. Similarly, 49 employees of other hospitals are working on deputation at PIMS.