PMDC stops admissions in medical, dental colleges pending court rulings

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has instructed all medical and dental colleges across Pakistan to pause their admissions for MBBS and BDS programmes for 2024 following directives from both the Sindh High Court (SHC) and Islamabad High Court (IHC), which have issued ‘restraining orders’ on the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) results, PMDC officials said on Friday.

The courts are currently examining allegations of irregularities, including paper leak in Sindh and ‘Out of Syllabus’ questions in Islamabad, that emerged after the MDCAT exams were conducted, PMDC officials said and added that they expect final decisions by both the courts by the end of this month.

Interestingly, MDCAT results of both the Dow and SZAMBU universities are applicable for the entire Pakistan as per the PMDC law so until and unless results of these two varsities are decided, admissions in the medical and dental colleges cannot proceed, PMDC officials clarified.

In an exclusive conversation with ‘The News,’ PMDC President Prof. Dr. Rizwan Taj stated, “We have asked all public and private medical colleges to halt the admission process. The directives from the high courts apply across the country, and until these esteemed courts decide on the matter, no admissions can proceed.”

The controversy surrounding the MDCAT 2024 erupted when numerous students, particularly from Sindh, claimed that the test paper had been leaked. These allegations prompted a wave of petitions from affected students, resulting in the SHC and IHC intervening to halt the admission process.

In Sindh alone, over 38,000 candidates appeared for the exam, with several high-performing students drawing suspicion. The SHC noted discrepancies in student performances, particularly from certain institutions in Sindh, where students who scored poorly in board exams secured exceptionally high marks in MDCAT, raising concerns of malpractice.

The courts have responded by forming committees to investigate the allegations thoroughly. In Sindh, a two-judge bench led by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar directed the formation of a committee to probe the matter. The committee has been tasked with investigating the validity of the test and determining any criminal and civil liabilities.

Accordingly, Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah has constituted a high-powered committee led by Dr. Shireen Mustafa, Chairperson of Sindh Chief Minister’s Inspection, Enquiries and Implementation Team Department to present its report within 15 days, of which one week has already passed.

A similar committee has been established by the PMDC led by Prof. Iqbal Khan, VC Shifa Tammer-e-Millat University to address complaints from students in Islamabad, who reported similar irregularities.

More than 160,000 students appeared in MDCAT across Pakistan. The results have been called into question due to the variation in performances across different regions. For instance, in Punjab, around 58,389 candidates took the exam, with 2,841 students scoring above 190 marks. However, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, out of 42,336 candidates, only 38 managed to cross the 190 marks. Sindh, however, saw a disproportionate number of high scorers, which further fueled suspicion of paper leaks.

PMDC and other stakeholders, including health secretaries and university officials, have assured the courts of their full cooperation in resolving the matter. The PMDC, under significant pressure, emphasised that student futures must be safeguarded, but the integrity of the examination process remains paramount.

Both the high courts are expected to take a couple of weeks before issuing final judgments, leaving the fate of thousands of students in limbo. With the MDCAT already facing scrutiny in past years over similar accusations, this latest controversy further complicates Pakistan’s medical admissions process, which remains a highly competitive and often contentious issue.

The next hearing is scheduled for late October, with a full investigation expected to be completed within the coming weeks.