PMA to challenge HEC's step to downgrade three medical journals.

Byline: Kashif Abbasi

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has decided to move court against Higher Education Commission's (HEC) step to degrade three indexed medical journals.

Last month, the HEC degraded all three indexed medical journals from W category to X category which means currently there is no 'W' category journal for Pakistani health professionals to get their research papers published.

The health professionals concerned including PMA have cast doubt on HEC's software, which downgraded the indexed journals.

However, the HEC is defending its position, saying the step has been taken to bring the research journals on par with the international best standards.

Speaking to Dawn, PMA's Secretary General S.M. Qaisar Sajjad said that HEC's act of degrading all three medical journals is a setback for over 600 medical faculty members of the country.

Last month, the commission degraded all three indexed medical journals

'We demanded HEC to revert its decision within 10 days, otherwise we will move court, as degrading indexed journal was a shock for medical faculty members,' he said.

A senior doctor and editor of a research journal Dr Yasin Durrani alleged that HEC had no proper expertise to deal with the medical education. He said instead of HEC, the medical research journals should solely be dealt by medical council, like PMDC or PMC.

The three research journals that saw degradation are Journal of Pakistan Medical Association (JPMA) published by PMA, which was started in 1954 and indexed in 1975, Pakistan Journal of Medical Science and Journal of College of Physicians and Surgeons (JCPSP).

According to PMA all these journals have an impact factor and are indexed with the highest indexing agencies as Scopus, PubMed, Embase, SCIE, Biosis and WOS. They are recognized by WHO and WAME.

'The journal recognition system of the Higher Education Commission, Pakistan, has downgraded all the highest category biomedical journals of the country to the so-called Clay Medallion and Category X,' the PMA said in a statement.

It said that this was done by applying a new journal recognizing system launched by HEC and the results were displayed on the HEC website in January which is available to all viewers around the world.

Speaking to Dawn, Editor-in-Chief Journal of Pakistan Medical Association (JPMA) Dr Fatema Jawad said that getting an article published in medical journal is a prerequisite for medical faculty members to get promotions.

However...