ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) is considering developing an e-assessment system from next year for Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT).

With proper planning and technical support, it will be effectively managed without internet-based assessments. It would be a center-based examination, similar to previous practices, and will utilise HEC-supported internet portals for enhanced security.

A seven-member committee, formed recently to make the future MDCAT better and more transparent, held a meeting to finalise the line of action for the next year.

The committee is composed of members from all provinces and it is tasked with identifying and addressing challenges, ensuring transparency, minimising errors, and implementing IT-based solutions.

Reform committee holds first meeting to make future tests better, more transparent

The task also includes considerations for a centralised or university-specific test, a uniform syllabus, and the scheduling of MDCAT immediately after intermediate exams to combat the influence of tuition mafias.

According to a statement, the inaugural meeting of the MDCAT Reform Committee was held in Islamabad. The President of Council, Prof Dr Rizwan Taj, informed the meeting that a total of 167,772 candidates were registered for the 2024 exam across the country, as well as in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.

Details regarding the performance of various examining universities, including the total percentage and highest scores, were also shared with the members of the committee.

Additionally, the committee was updated on the retake of exams for two universities in Sindh and the federal capital.

The Sindh High Court and Islamabad High Court have directed to retake of the MDCAT in province and Islamabad because of allegations of malpractices and out of course question paper. Clearing MDCAT is necessary to get admission in medical and dental colleges of the country.

The chairman of the committee, Prof Dr Suhail Amin, emphasised the importance of implementing a unified syllabus for the conduct of this high-stakes examination. He further highlighted the need to incorporate technology to enhance the quality of the exams. He said that the committee must exert its best efforts to devise an effective mechanism to address this issue.

The Inter-Boards Coordination Commis­sion (IBCC) Chairman announced the completion of the “Examination Bible”, a comprehensive guide for grades 9-12 outlining exam procedures and question bank development, to be implemented nationwide. He supported e-examinations for MDCAT, emphasising their practicality for MCQs, and highlighted the successful adoption of a grading system in board exams. He pledged full support for this national initiative.

The committee also reviewed the status of the syllabus and question bank.

The members noted that developing an e-assessment system was not a particularly difficult task in the present days. The committee deliberated that globally, all such entry tests are designed to assess a candidate’s potential as a health professional.

They decided to consider incorporating more content that tests higher cognitive abilities, critical thinking and ethical and contextual domains.

The President of PMDC, Prof Dr Rizwan Taj, endorsed all points discussed and informed the members that he had attended several meetings at the Senate and National Assembly on the same issue. He emphasised that the PMDC must submit an Action Plan for the reforms of the MDCAT examination by December 2024. He added that in response to recent issues regarding the MDCAT examination, it is imperative to address concerns and reaffirm unwavering commitment to ensure a fair and transparent examination process across the country.

He expressed regret over the misconduct that occurred in the recent MDCAT exam despite extensive efforts to uphold fairness.

“We are deeply concerned about the harm caused by unscrupulous elements who have tarnished the image of the entire system in this national exercise.”

The chairman formally assigned future tasks and established three sub-committees (working groups) with deadlines for further work to streamline the reform process.

The first sub-committee, the MDCAT Syllabus Committee, is comprised four members and will draft a unified syllabus with consensus from local and foreign boards. They will develop a Table of Specifications for the exam and create an outline with a plan for building a sustainable question bank.

The second sub-committee, the E-Assess­ment Project Committee, is composed of three members who are tasked with proposing a secure question bank portal and e-assessment plan, along with technical specifications and cost estimates. They will also draft a working paper on the modalities for conducting centralised e-MDCAT.

The third sub-committee, the MDCAT Policy Document Committee, is composed of two members who will work on developing a comprehensive policy document for the smooth implementation of the national exam.

The chairman directed all sub-committees to submit their drafts by December. The draft action plan shall be reviewed in its upcoming meeting.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2024