PMC stops universities from getting MDCAT conducted by testing bodies

The Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) has stopped the medical universities from getting the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) conducted by testing bodies and asked the universities to conduct the test themselves.

Daily Jang learned that the Dow Medical University was willing to have the MDCAT conducted by the Federal Higher Education Commission’s testing agency for all medical universities and colleges in Sindh, and for this purpose talks between Dow Medical University and HEC officials had taken place.

However, the PMC has asked the universities responsible for the MDCAT in all provinces and federations to conduct the test themselves instead of getting it conducted by any testing agency.

Vice Chancellor Dow Medical University Dr Saeed Qureshi said they would conduct this test themselves because the PMC had stopped them from having the test conducted by any testing agency. He said they had started preparing for the test.

PMC spokesperson Hina Shaukat confirmed that the PMC had directed the universities to conduct the test themselves. It should be remembered that a decision had been taken earlier under the chairmanship of PMC President Dr Naushad Shaikh, on October 10 that the test would be held on November 13 and the universities would have the option to have the test conducted by a testing agency or conduct it themselves.

In Pakistan, 250,000 students will take the entry test for 21,000 seats at Dow Medical University in Sindh, UHS in Punjab, BMC in Balochistan, Khyber Medical University in KPK and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University in Islamabad, and they will have the option to conduct the test themselves or delegate this responsibility to another testing agency.