Daily Times

The Islamabad High Court has accepted petitions against the MDCAT test, directing the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University to conduct the exam again within a month.

Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir presided over the hearing regarding the petitions filed by affected students, who argued that the MDCAT paper contained questions that were out of the syllabus.

According to a report by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), it was confirmed that the paper included questions not covered by the curriculum.

Following the hearing, the court ruled in favor of the students, instructing the university to administer a re-examination within one month.

Advocate Qazi Adil, representing the affected students, highlighted that 30 questions on the exam were outside the syllabus.

He noted a stark disparity in results, mentioning that only three students in Islamabad scored above 190, while approximately 2,800 students from Punjab faced an uneven playing field.

Students expressed their relief and happiness over the court’s decision, stating that it saved them from potentially damaging academic consequences.

Advocate Adil further suggested that experts should be consulted to prepare the exam papers, ensuring that the tests are fair and allow students to compete with those from other universities.

Earlier, in response to a petition alleging irregularities in the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT), the Sindh High Court (SHC) directed that the test be reconducted within four weeks.

During the hearing, the court firmly stated that students should not be subjected to undue stress and that “no games should be played” with their futures.

A divisional bench led by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and including Justice Amjad Ali Sahito reviewed the petitions on irregularities in the MDCAT process.

The court questioned the previous committee’s progress, asking if they had worked on the matter or “simply stayed home”. Committee Chair Shireen Narejo presented a report, outlining that the responsibility primarily rested with the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and Dow University, not the testing agency.

The court expressed frustration over the shifting responsibilities, noting that different universities had been burdened with the task at various points.

Narejo informed that the committee reviewed Dow University’s examination system and consulted both petitioners’ evidence and students’ statements, with some students opposing a retake.

In its findings, the committee identified flaws within the examination system, with potential compromises at different points, involving over 40 personnel.

When asked by the court if this meant the test had been leaked, Narejo replied that answers and questions had indeed circulated on WhatsApp.

Justice Panhwar stated that those who sat for the test should not be subjected to a “mental sword” hanging over their heads.

PMDC’s counsel informed the court that an inquiry was underway to identify responsible individuals and address the issue of leaked papers.

Justice Panhwar, expressing concerns about influential figures manipulating the system, remarked that the PMDC seemed powerless over certain universities.

The court inquired about the financial details of the exams, to which PMDC’s counsel had no specific response.

Justice Sahito suggested the amount involved could exceed Rs45 million. Justice Panhwar remarked that the PMDC appeared to exercise authority selectively, targeting only those with limited power.

The court raised the idea that the PMDC should step down if it could not uphold its mandate and demanded a response from the Secretary of Universities within 30 minutes.

They urged the Sindh government to devise an actionable strategy if the exam were to be re-conducted, with details on maintaining transparency and adherence to the curriculum.