The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination met on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Dr. Mahesh Kumar Malani to discuss concerns surrounding the MDCAT examination. The committee emphasized the need for a transparent and fair examination on December 30 to address grievances from students seeking a just evaluation.
The meeting focused on issues related to 30 out-of-syllabus questions in the previous MDCAT, which disrupted students’ preparation and efforts. The chairman highlighted widespread public disappointment over the exam, stressing that a fair process was essential to restore confidence in the evaluation system.
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The committee also addressed the ongoing issue of examination fees, which is currently under review by the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The court will decide whether the cost should be borne by students or the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC).
Additionally, the committee recommended that intermediate students be given adequate preparation time, with the MDCAT scheduled immediately after the announcement of intermediate results. Members also urged for a more equitable allocation of seats, particularly for students with Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) domicile, and recommended a review of the seat distribution with the Punjab government to ensure fairness.
The committee also discussed the re-conduct of the MDCAT on December 30 by the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU) for candidates from AJK, G-B, ICT, and international venues like Dubai and Riyadh. Over 8,600 candidates have registered for the retake, and the university has assured a smooth and transparent process, with oversight from teams from PM&DC and the university.
Earlier, IBA Sukkur conducted a retake of the MDCAT on December 8 across seven centers in Sindh, with over 83% of registered candidates appearing for the exam. A significant number of candidates were deemed eligible for MBBS and BDS programs.
