ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday directed Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) not to finalise the list of candidates for admissions to medical and dental colleges.

The registrar of the PMDC was directed to appear in person on the next date of hearing of a petition.

Justice Arbab Mohammad Tahir issued the direction after hearing students who sat the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) on September 22 and claimed that there were around 30 out of syllabus or wrong questions.

Advocate Adil Aziz Qazi, representing the candidates, said admissions were to be made on the basis of the 30 wrong questions, and requested the court to halt the process of admissions.

IHC order says no institution shall start process of admissions on basis of impugned MDCAT results till final outcome of petition

The court issued notices to the PMDC and other stakeholders and directed the council not to finalise the list of candidates.

Over 22,000 students appeared in the entry test conducted by Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University Islamabad. Clearing the test is mandatory to get admission to medical and dental colleges.

According to the court order, the counsel for petitioners submitted that different medical colleges had started the process of inducting students on the basis of the MDCAT result, legality of which was yet to be adjudicated by the court. They have, therefore, prayed for an injunctive order.

“In view of above, PMDC is restrained from finalising the 2024 MDCAT merit list/results and no Institution shall start process of admissions on the basis of impugned results, till final outcome of this petition,” it stated.

“The University and PMDC are directed to file separate responses to the referred questions, before the next date fixed. The Registrar, PMDC is directed to appear in person on the next date fixed,” it stated.

IT-based admission system hailed

Meanwhile, Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) has welcomed the health ministry’s recommendation to replace MDCAT with an IT-based admission system. It said the directive to the PMDC was a significant step forward and a timely necessity.

Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Health Dr Malik Mukhtar at a meeting of a parliamentary committee on Wednesday said the ministry was considering replacing MDCAT with an IT-based admission system for medical and dental colleges.

PIMA President Prof Dr Atif Hafeez Siddiqui expressed support for the initiative, stating that several irregularities had been observed in the MDCAT over the years, leading to unfair evaluation of students.

“The introduction of an IT-based examination system is a commendable step towards ensuring transparency and fairness. PIMA has long advocated for a flawless system where hardworking students are evaluated justly,” he said.

He said the system must be free of errors and fully transparent, ensuring that students who have worked diligently to reach this stage were not subjected to any form of injustice. This initiative will also help counter the influence of external forces and protect the integrity of the exams.

“We strongly support this initiative and look forward to its prompt implementation, benefiting future medical and dental students across the country,” he stated.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2024