ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The Punjab government and the Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) are at odds over the procedure for MBBS and BDS admissions, as the AJK Joint Admission Committee (JAC) has outrightly rejected Punjab’s newly announced admission policy, and reaffirmed its authority to regulate admissions under its own merit system and legal framework.
In an official letter issued on October 10, 2025 (No. JAC/Admissions/16(18)/2025), the JAC strongly opposed Punjab’s notification of September 30, 2025 (No. SO(ME-II)2-1/2025), which stated that, starting from the 2025–26 academic year, admissions to the 39 reserved seats for AJK students in Punjab’s public medical and dental colleges would be processed directly through the University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lahore, via its online portal.
The Punjab government said the move was intended to promote transparency, merit-based selection, and interprovincial harmony by introducing a uniform online admission system.
However, AJK’s JAC has dismissed this logic, terming the decision “an encroachment on the autonomous admission process” established under the AJK Medical College Act 2014.
According to media reports, the committee declared that no external body, including UHS Lahore, can act as the admitting university for students from Azad Kashmir.
In a detailed letter, the JAC chairman wrote: “Admissions of AJK students to MBBS and BDS programs shall be conducted solely under the merit, rules, and procedures determined by the AJK government. The region has its own legally constituted admission system, and any interference from another province or authority undermines AJK’s autonomy.”
While acknowledging Punjab’s intent to strengthen interprovincial cooperation, the JAC maintained that the actual admission process must remain within the jurisdiction of the AJK Joint Admission Committee the designated authority overseeing admissions to AJK’s three medical colleges.
Referring to Punjab’s previous notification (No. SO(ME-II)2-1/2024 dated October 10, 2024), the JAC pointed out that even last year, AJK students applied for reserved seats exclusively through the committee or an authority nominated by the AJK government.
The new policy, therefore, not only deviates from established practice but also “directly impacts the constitutional and educational autonomy of Azad Kashmir,” the letter read.
Legal experts have also expressed reservations, warning that the Punjab policy could deprive AJK students of their right to judicial recourse.
If admissions are processed through Lahore’s UHS portal, candidates may be unable to challenge any dispute in AJK’s own courts, they noted.
Experts have urged the Punjab government to review and revise the policy in consultation with the AJK authorities, restoring the previous arrangement that ensured clarity, coordination, and legal protection for students.
AJK admission process
They further emphasized that, similar to how provinces as Punjab, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan manages its quota seats independently, AJK’s admission process must remain under its own government’s purview.
The JAC has sent copies of its letter to the AJK Minister for Health, the President of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) in Islamabad, and the Vice Chancellor of UHS Lahore, seeking clarification and coordination at the intergovernmental level.
Comprising the principals of all three medical colleges in AJK along with senior officials from the Higher Education and Health departments, the JAC is the sole authority responsible for finalizing merit lists and admissions within the territory.
According to sources, if the Punjab government fails to reconsider its decision, the issue could not only create uncertainty for hundreds of AJK students but may also strain intergovernmental relations between Lahore and Muzaffarabad.
The JAC chairman has urged Punjab to immediately review its policy to prevent “confusion, delays, or administrative complications” for AJK applicants.
