The Punjab government has changed the eligibility criteria for the appointment of vice chancellors at public medical universities, setting the maximum age limit at 70 years, 24NewsHD TV reported on Monday.
Under the revised criteria, doctors who passed their MBBS degree in the second division will also be eligible to apply for vice chancellor positions.
The move has sparked debate, particularly as admissions to public medical colleges are based on highly competitive merit, with successful candidates often securing more than 90 percent marks.
According to the new requirements, applicants must have served as a professor for at least 10 years.
Candidates are also required to hold a postgraduate qualification or a PhD, along with a minimum of 20 research publications.
The revised rules raise the upper age limit for vice chancellors to 70 years.
However, despite increasing the age threshold, no specific medical, physical, or mental fitness standards have been prescribed for candidates seeking appointment to the post.
The changes are expected to influence future appointments at public-sector medical universities, with critics questioning the academic and fitness benchmarks for leadership positions in institutions responsible for training the country's future healthcare professionals.
Supporters, meanwhile, argued that experience and academic contributions should remain the primary criteria for selecting university heads.
Reporter: Zahid Ch