The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has accepted a petition challenging the recent MDCAT exam for medical and dental college admissions.
In response, the court has instructed Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto University (SZAB) to organize a new entrance test within one month.
Justice Arbab Tahir presided over the case and ruled in favor of the petition after reviewing a report from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), which revealed that several questions in the MDCAT exam were outside the official syllabus.
This ruling follows a similar directive from Justice Salahuddin Panhwar of the Sindh High Court, who also ordered the MDCAT to be re-administered within four weeks due to complaints of irregularities in the exam process.
During the hearing, which included Justice Amjad Ali Sahito, Justice Panhwar stressed the importance of providing clarity and assurance to students, asserting, “We cannot leave students in a state of uncertainty.”
The court’s decision comes in light of numerous petitions highlighting discrepancies in the MDCAT exam, reflecting a growing concern about the fairness and transparency of the admission process. The IHC and the Sindh High Court’s actions aim to ensure that students have a fair opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and secure their futures in the medical field.
The emphasis on a transparent and equitable testing environment is crucial, as it directly impacts the educational and professional aspirations of countless aspiring medical and dental students across the country.
The upcoming re-examination is expected to restore confidence in the admission process and uphold the integrity of medical education in Pakistan.