A petition seeking the release of the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) questionnaire has become entangled between two benches of the Sindh High Court, leading to delays in its resolution. The petition, filed by MDCAT candidates, was initially heard by a regular bench but later referred to the constitutional bench, which declined to hear the case.
The High Court held a hearing where the petitioners requested the release of the question paper. However, due to a roster change, the case was transferred to another bench. After hearing the arguments for an hour, the regular bench referred the matter to the constitutional bench, which in turn refused to take it up, stating that the petition challenged a policy and should be sent back to a regular bench for a hearing.
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Justice KK Agha of the constitutional bench remarked that policy-related cases fall under the jurisdiction of the regular bench. The petitioners, through their lawyer, argued that the matter was of critical importance to students’ futures. After much deliberation, the bench adjourned the hearing until February 13, 2025.
The petitioners urged the court to provide relief by ensuring that Sukkur IBA and Sindh Testing Service (STS) withhold the MDCAT results until the court’s decision is made. They pointed out that in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, candidates had already received copies of the question papers along with the answer sheets, and the Islamabad High Court had also ordered the release of the MDCAT questionnaire.
