By Adnan Rafique
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C) on Friday lauded Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), for ensuring the smooth and secure conduct of the examination across the country in close coordination with the provincial governments, health departments, district administrations, police and paramedic staff.
The Committee that met here with Dr. Mahesh Kumar Malani, in the chair reviewed the conduct and evaluation of the MDCAT Examination 2025. The Committee unanimously appreciated the Chairman for his tireless efforts in keeping the issue of MDCAT reforms on the agenda and for holding a series of follow-up meetings after the discrepancies reported during MDCAT 2024.
It was noted with satisfaction that due to the Committee’s continuous oversight and PMDC’s dedicated efforts, MDCAT 2025 was conducted in a fair, transparent and standardized manner, in accordance with international testing norms.
The members observed that no major complaints or paper leakages were reported from any province. The Committee expressed satisfaction that the collective efforts of all stakeholders bore fruit, reflecting the credibility and improved governance of the testing process.
Special appreciation was extended to the Government of Balochistan and the Vice Chancellor of Bolan University of Medical and Health Sciences for successfully conducting the MDCAT in an exemplary manner despite serious challenges in the province. The Committee also commended the Vice Chancellor for personally attending the meeting on short notice, reflecting his commitment to transparency and cooperation.
The Committee recognized the transparent and efficient arrangements made at the provincial level and commended the vigilance shown in identifying and addressing impersonation cases. Members also acknowledged the positive role of other provinces and their universities for ensuring smooth coordination, improved logistics and timely evaluation of results.
The Committee noted that based on the Committee’s previous recommendations, for the first time, the PMDC implemented a domicile-based examination system and developed a standardized question pool to ensure uniformity across all provinces.
Members praised the enhanced coordination between PMDC and universities, as well as the timely communication and grievance redressal mechanisms introduced this year. While acknowledging the marked improvement in the conduct of MDCAT 2025, the Committee made further recommendations to enhance transparency and equity in future examinations.
It was emphasized that the examination software must be strengthened to prevent data errors and duplication of student records, and that uniform documentation requirements be adopted across all provinces to avoid confusion. The Committee directed the PMDC to urgently devise a mechanism for students who had scored 90% marks in previous MDCAT exams but did not appear this year.
It emphasized that a clear policy, including a possible relative marking adjustment, must be finalized within 2–3 days, failing which the Committee would take strict action to safeguard students’ prospects. It was further proposed that the weightage of board examination marks be reviewed to ensure merit-based admissions.
Furthermore, the Committee underscored the need to address disparities faced by O- and A-Level students in equivalency and evaluation criteria through joint consultation between PMDC and the Inter Boards Coordination Commission (IBCC).
The Committee concluded that the successful conduct of MDCAT 2025 stands as a testament to collaborative governance and effective parliamentary oversight.
The Chairman reiterated that the Committee would continue to monitor progress to ensure that future examinations are conducted with even greater transparency, uniformity and inclusivity.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Mir Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani, Sabheen Ghoury, Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Farah Naz Akbar, Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan, Dr. Darshan, Aliya Kamran, Shaista Khan, and Farrukh Khan.
The President PMDC, Vice Chancellors of MDCAT conducting universities, and senior officers from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, along with representatives from the Provincial Health Departments of all provinces, also participated in the meeting both physically and virtually.
