The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination has emphasized the importance of conducting a transparent and fair MDCAT examination on December 30, addressing the concerns of students who have raised grievances over the previous test. The committee, chaired by Dr. Mahesh Kumar Malani, held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss student complaints, particularly regarding 30 out-of-syllabus questions that had impacted their scores and preparation.
The committee acknowledged widespread public dissatisfaction with the MDCAT (Medical and Dental College Admission Test), which has left students across the country disappointed. In response, they urged the authorities to ensure a fair evaluation process during the upcoming test to restore trust and offer students a just opportunity.
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One key issue discussed was the examination fees, which remains unresolved. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) is yet to decide whether students or the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) should bear the costs. Additionally, the committee recommended that the MDCAT be scheduled only after the announcement of intermediate results to give students sufficient preparation time.
Further discussions were held about the allocation of seats for students from different regions, especially those with Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) domicile. The committee resolved to communicate with the Punjab government to review and balance seat allocation based on domicile, ensuring equal opportunities for all students, regardless of regional affiliation.
The committee was also briefed on the upcoming MDCAT retake scheduled for December 30 by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU) for candidates from AJK, G-B, ICT, and international locations like Dubai and Riyadh. Over 8,600 candidates have registered for the retake, and university authorities assured that the examination would be conducted smoothly, with oversight from both PM&DC and the university.
Meanwhile, IBA Sukkur held a successful MDCAT retake in Sindh earlier this month, with 83.26% of the registered candidates appearing for the exam. Of those, 35.46% qualified for MBBS and 41.54% for the BDS program.
