ISLAMABAD: The Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU), Islamabad, is scheduled to re-conduct the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) on 30th December 2024 for candidates from AJK, GB, ICT, and international venues, including Dubai and Riyadh.
Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) President Dr Rizwan Taj stated this, while briefing a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services and Regulations, which was held here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani.
The PMDC officials briefed the panel on the recent developments, as well as, the future course of action concerning the MDCAT. The panel was informed that out of 22,556 candidates registered for the test on 22nd September 2024; over 8,600 have registered for the retake. The matter remains subjudice in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), and university authorities have assured foolproof arrangements for a smooth and transparent process. Teams from PMDC and the university will oversee the test.
During the meeting, the committee deferred consideration of legislative proposals: the “The Pakistan Nursing Council (Amendment) Bill, 2024”, “Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (Amendment) Bill, 2024”, “Islamabad Healthcare Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2024” and “The Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill, 2024” to next meeting of the committee.
Dr Malani highlighted the significant public concerns regarding the MDCAT examination, which has caused widespread disappointment among students nationwide. The committee emphasised the importance of conducting a transparent and fair examination on 30th December 2024 to address the grievances of students awaiting a just evaluation. Concerns regarding 30 out-of-syllabus questions, which undermined the efforts and diligent preparations of students, were also thoroughly deliberated.
The issue of examination fees remains subjudice, with the IHC yet to decide whether the cost should be borne by the students or by PMDC. The committee recommended that sufficient preparation time be provided to intermediate students, with the MDCAT be scheduled immediately after the announcement of intermediate results.
Additionally, the committee members urged equitable allocation of seats, highlighting the need to address the limited number of seats available for students with ICT domicile. The committee resolved to communicate with the Punjab provincial government to review and ensure a balanced distribution of seats based on domicile. Furthermore, it was suggested that opportunities for examination be granted solely on merit and competency, irrespective of regional affiliations, to promote fairness and equal opportunity.
The panel was informed that IBA Sukkur conducted a retake on 8th December 2024 across seven centres in five divisions of Sindh, with 32,208 candidates (83.26 per cent) appearing from the total 38,684 registered. Of these, 13,718 (35.46 per cent) were declared eligible for MBBS and 16,072 (41.54 per cent) for the BDS program. The highest score achieved was 192 by four candidates. Five cases of copying and three impersonation incidents were reported. The president of PMDC and senior officials closely monitored the test in collaboration with the Sindh government's high-power committee.
To address challenges and improve the MDCAT process, a Reforms Committee has been constituted, holding three meetings to date. Key recommendations include revising the MDCAT syllabus, developing a Q Bank from a common syllabus, restricting candidates to their domicile regions for the test, aligning MDCAT scheduling with intermediate result declarations, and implementing centralised oversight through a single committee responsible for drafting the paper, ensure transparency and reduce human errors using IT-based solutions. These measures aim to enhance the integrity and effectiveness of the MDCAT process.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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