MDCAT Retest Scheduled in Islamabad and AJK

The Medical and Dental College Admission Test MDCAT will be re-administered on November 24 in both Islamabad and Azad Jammu and Kashmir AJK, following a court ruling that invalidated the original test.

17,000+ Students Preparing for Retest

Over 17,000 students will sit for the MDCAT once again after the September 2024 exam was nullified. Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University SZABMU had initially conducted the test, but legal action taken by students led to its cancellation.

Students File Petition Over Exam Irregularities

The decision to hold a retest was influenced by a petition submitted by six students, including Ammar Naeem, Shahzaib Wazir, and Saba Iman. The petition listed various authorities, including the Secretary of the Health Ministry, the President of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council PMDC, and the Vice-Chancellor of SZABMU.

Issues Raised About Out-of-Syllabus Questions

The petition claimed that nearly 13% of the questions 26-27 out of 200 were out of the syllabus, making the test unnecessarily confusing. Additionally, the students raised concerns about how the test papers were handled after the exam, leading to doubts about transparency. This triggered peaceful demonstrations from students and their parents, demanding a fair retest.

Retest Aims to Address Concerns

In light of these issues, the Islamabad High Court declared the original exam void and ordered a retest. The upcoming MDCAT, scheduled for November 24, is designed to ensure that the process is both transparent and fair for all participants.