In a landmark decision, the Sindh High Court (SHC) has mandated the retake of the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) within four weeks to address admissions to public medical and dental institutions in the province. This directive comes as a response to petitions citing serious irregularities in the examination process.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

During a recent hearing, the court examined the findings of an oversight committee formed after initial complaints surfaced. The committee, chaired by Shireen Narejo, presented a report indicating that primary accountability lay with the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS). The court underscored that if no irregularities were substantiated, it would further review the petitioners’ grievances. Justice Salahuddin Panhwar highlighted that some testing agencies burden universities unnecessarily, an issue warranting immediate address.

Narejo’s report revealed that the oversight committee had scrutinized Dow University’s exam protocols and heard testimony from several affected students. While some students expressed opposition to a retake, citing personal and academic strains, the committee confirmed detecting serious flaws in the examination process, implicating around 40-42 individuals associated with the MDCAT.

One of the critical breaches involved the circulation of exam questions and answers via WhatsApp, which prompted the court to seek input from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). FIA representatives reported that they were conducting forensic analyses on the implicated individuals’ phones, recovering deleted data, and gathering other physical evidence. An ongoing investigation at Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU) is also expected to be finalized soon, adding further insight into the alleged irregularities.

Justice Panhwar emphasized the need for equitable treatment of all MDCAT candidates, stressing that the government and FIA should ensure a fair process so that no deserving student is excluded due to systemic failures.

Additional findings from the committee suggested that university inefficiencies increased the likelihood of compromised exam security. The court also expressed concerns over Dow University’s exam administration capabilities, learning that exam questions had undergone minimal revisions from previous versions. This revelation included surprise at the involvement of college professors in drafting the question paper, raising potential conflicts of interest.

The court also directed a query at the PMDC, questioning why high exam fees favored students from wealthier backgrounds rather than ensuring accessibility for all. In response, the PMDC’s counsel explained that provincial authorities control the exam’s administrative aspects. In a closing statement, the SHC ordered the immediate release of MDCAT results and instructed the examination to be retaken within a month, reiterating that all students deserve a transparent and equitable pathway into medical and dental institutions.

Table of Contents