38,684 students retake MDCAT in five Sindh divisions

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) conducted the Medical & Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) across Sindh on Sunday. The Sukkur IBA University was tasked to conduct MDCAT across the province on the directives of the Sindh High Court.

A statement issued by the council quoted PMDC President Prof Dr Rizwan Taj as saying that the test was held at seven centres in five divisions of the province: Karachi, Hyderabad, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sukkur and Larkana. He said that 38,684 candidates retook the test.

Dr Taj said that as the Sukkur IBA University had been tasked with conducting MDCAT, the PMDC had assigned officers to observe the test at all the centres on the request of the university.

He said the test commenced at 11:55am simultaneously across the province, and was successfully concluded after a duration of three hours and 30 minutes.

He visited all the MDCAT centres in Karachi during the test, and met with Sukkur IBA University Vice Chancellor Sikandar Asif Sheikh and the provincial health secretary.

PMDC officers were present at all the centres for supervision, he said, adding that the provincial, divisional and district authorities, including the security agencies, the Federal Investigation Agency and the Intelligence Bureau, were also deputed for necessary support. He pointed out that the university authorities had made foolproof arrangements for holding MDCAT smoothly.

A day earlier, the PMDC president had held a high-powered vigilance committee meeting with key stakeholders to discuss the preparations and security arrangements for the test.

Among those who attended the meeting were the health secretary, the universities & boards secretary, the special secretary of the home department, the Sukkur IBA University VC and the PMDC director of examinations.

The discussions focused on enhancing coordination, streamlining examination logistics and addressing any challenges faced by the candidates during the process. Dr Taj emphasised collaboration among provincial authorities, educational institutions and examination bodies to maintain the maximum standards in medical education.

He highlighted that the PMDC is committed to ensuring uniformity and transparency in future examinations across the country. To achieve this, a dedicated committee of experts has been meeting regularly at the PMDC to develop a comprehensive plan for upcoming exams, emphasising fairness and consistency in the evaluation process, he added.