Admission to medical colleges: Senate panel recommends uniform IT-based MDCAT

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services Regulations and Coordination has recommended the government to implement Information Technology (IT)-based uniform Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) system countrywide to get rid of malpractices like paper leaks.

The standing committee meeting held here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Senator Amir Waliuddin Chisti engaged in an extensive discussion regarding the compliance report based on the committee’s previous meeting held on October 9, 2024.

After a thorough update on the increase in the number of dental colleges, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, the Minister of State, Coordinator to the Prime Minister, informed that starting next year candidates appearing for the MDCAT will only be eligible for registration.

The committee members raised concerns about the authenticity of institutes, mentioning that although many colleges are established, students often struggle to obtain their attestations from these institutions.

Responding to the issues highlighted by the committee members, the state Minister for national health services said that achieving uniformity would require standardising the curriculum across provinces.

Senator Irfanul Haq Siddiqui argued that uniformity in the curriculum could contradict basic educational principles. He also raised concerns about the increasing fee structure, stressing that the PMDC must address this issue within its domain. He recommended examining the fee increases and establishing a mechanism to control them.

The committee members, unanimously, called for resolving the issue of escalating fees and for cross-checking the discrepancies in the system that exploit and negatively impact poor students.

The chairman of the committee recommended conducting a cost analysis of private sector fee structures and suggested a surprise visit by committee members to the PMDC to assess the situation on the ground.

The chairman committee further stressed that the fee structure should be according to a rationale set by the ministry. Additionally, he proposed that the committee gather details from colleges regarding those that do not provide CSR scholarships.

The committee also discussed the private member’s bill, “The Islamabad Healthcare Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2025,” introduced by Senator Mohsin Aziz during the Senate session on January 20, 2025.

Senator Aziz highlighted that the bill aims to regulate diagnostic centers and address the significant variation in prices at laboratories, where charges can differ by 50 per cent to 100 per cent. He stressed the need for the bill’s implementation as it serves the public interest, noting that without fixed rates and prescriptions, patients often end up paying more.

The committee was informed that a new team will decide the framework for pricing different tests within the next month. The minister of state suggested holding the bill in abeyance for a month until new reports are received and any issues or gaps are addressed.

Similarly, the private member’s bill, “The Pakistan Psychological Council Bill, 2025,” introduced by Senator Kamran Murtaza, was discussed. Senator Murtaza reiterated that the bill has already been passed by the National Assembly Law and Justice Committee and referred to the Senate Committee.

After a discussion on the legal aspects of the bill, the Minister of State explained that the government is currently rightsising, merging nursing services, and consolidating different councils for efficiency. He also mentioned that practices, including those of psychologists, will be regulated.

The former Deputy Chairman of the Senate, Mirza Muhammad Afridi, discussed the issue of medical seats in FATA, emphasising that it is related to the PMDC. He expressed concerns that the last letter he received mentioned a reduction in the number of seats to 194. Originally, 333 seats had been allocated for students through specific projects, and an amount of 8.3 billion rupees is with the HEC for these students. The matter has now been referred to the Supreme Court.

While acknowledging these concerns, the Minister of State reviewed the letter from the Sindh Government to the former Deputy Chairman and clarified that the letter had been misinterpreted. He suggested that if medical colleges in the provinces offer seats, they should be allocated accordingly and recommended that the PMDC withdraw the letter.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025