PESHAWAR: Issuing a stay order, the Peshawar High Court on Friday stopped the Khyber Medical University and Educational Testing and Evaluation Authority from releasing results of the recent Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test on their official websites until further orders.

A bench consisting of Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Wiqar Ahmad issued the order after hearing 23 applications filed by candidates to seek the test’s cancellation over “massive irregularities.”

It ordered the provincial chief secretary, ETEA executive director and Pakistan Medical and Dental Council registrar to submit their detailed replies to the applications within five days.

The bench fixed Sept 21 for next hearing into the matter.

Seeks response of govt, PMDC to complaints of irregularities in test

The applications were filed with the court’s Human Rights Cell by Ameer Hamza and several other candidates after the MDCAT was held on Sept 9.

Scores of students were arrested after being caught red-handed using modern electronic gadgets, including Bluetooth ones, for cheating in the test.

Chief Justice Mohammad Ibrahim Khan took notice of the matter over those applications and fixed the matter for hearing by a two-member bench.

The candidates alleged that the use of unfair means, including electronic gadgets, tainted the test.

The bench observed that one of the MDCAT candidates, Ameer Hamza, filed a complaint levelling “serious allegations about the mode and manner” of the test.

Mr Hamza alleged that the ETEA allowed candidates to use modern devices in the test and thus, facilitating them to cheat and use other unfair means.

He added that the test was conducted in such a manner that it gave undue advantage to the candidates, who were allowed to use modern technology, compared with others, including him, so he didn’t expect that the test results would be fair and transparent.

The candidate added that those results would affect the “merit position” of a good number of candidates, including him.

The bench observed that the allegations raised in the application were grave and were supported by several other similar complaints.

JIT FORMED: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa home and tribal affairs department on Friday ordered the formation of a high-level joint investigation team for looking into the alleged MDCAT irregularities.

The JIT was tasked with “probing complete facts of the matter, the planners and perpetrators behind thus attempt of use of sophisticated communication equipment for unfair means, the complicity, if any, of any government servant, any organised racket behind it, legal action to be taken and proposals on avoiding such attempts in future,” according to a notification.

It will submit its report to the department in the next seven working days.

The JIT is headed by additional IG of the Special Branch and comprises special secretaries of higher education and health department, additional secretary (police) home department, a representative of the Intelligence Bureau, a representative of the Khyber Medical University and any co-opted member as decided by the chairperson.

The notification read that multiple reports of unfair means in MDCAT held on Sept 10 throughout the province in the form of sophisticated technical equipment (wireless inter-phone GSM pen equipped with microphone and micro ear-piece) and GSM SIM-operated devices with multifaceted features had been received.

It cited multiple reasons for the formation of the JIT and read that the arrest of candidates in possession of such devices with intent of use as unfair means had been made and cases were registered.

The notification added that the multiple intelligence agencies had reported organised rackets behind those attempts of use of unfair means and that it brought into disrepute the government and its systems of examination, testing and accreditation of degrees and competitive exams.

“It is imperative that proper investigation is carried out into this matter and facts are brought to fore with recommendations, including institution of legal proceedings against the masterminds behind such incidents,” it read.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2023