Islamabad, Nov 27: MDCAT Committee Convenes to Enhance Exam Standards and Quality. A seven-member committee was recently established by the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) to improve and increase the transparency of the upcoming Medical & Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT).
The committee, which has representatives from every province, is entrusted with recognizing and resolving issues, maintaining openness, reducing mistakes, and putting IT-based solutions into action. To counteract the influence of tuition mafias, this includes taking into account the need for a centralized or university-specific examination, a uniform syllabus, and scheduling the MDCAT right after the intermediate exams.
Yesterday, the MDCAT Reform Committee met for the first time at the PMDC headquarters. In addition to thanking the Chairman and the committee members for attending the crucial meeting, PMDC President Prof. Dr. Rizwan Taj formally asked the Chairman to start the meeting.
Prof. Dr. Suhail Amin, the committee chairman, greeted each member and gave a brief update on the latest MDCAT 2024 activities and the legal considerations of administering tests by the PMDC Act 2022. The committee was notified that 167,772 candidates were registered in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Pakistan for the 2024 exam.
Information about the performance of the several universities that are being examined, such as the overall percentage and top marks, were distributed to the members as well. The committee was also informed about retaking tests for the Federal Government and two institutions in Sindh.
The Chairman underlined the significance of establishing a single syllabus for the administration of this crucial test after providing a brief update. He also emphasized the necessity of using technology to improve exam quality. He noted that maintaining a uniform degree of difficulty across all provinces is a big obstacle to creating a high-tech testing system with reduced human error and greater openness. He went on to say that the committee needs to do everything in its power to come up with a workable solution to this problem.
He pointed out that these ratings have poor predictive validity, highlighting the pressing need to raise exam standards. He understood that stakeholders would object to adding new domains to the test, but as a workable first step, he recommended concentrating on improving cognitive-level tests.
The “Examination Bible,” a thorough manual for grades 9–12 that details exam processes and question bank creation, has been completed and will be used countrywide, according to the IBCC Chairman. In addition to highlighting the effective implementation of a grading system in board exams, he defended MDCAT e-examinations, highlighting their usefulness for multiple-choice questions. He pledged full support for this national initiative.
The committee also examined the current state of the question bank and curriculum. The committee was advised by PM&DC that although the MDCAT syllabus has undergone one round of modification, more work is still required. The committee discussed improving the question bank as well.
The participants talked about how creating an electronic evaluation system isn’t a very tough undertaking these days. It can be handled successfully without the use of online tests if the right preparation and technological assistance are provided. Like in the past, this would be a center-based exam, and for added security, we could use online portals that are supported by HEC.
Committee members discussed how all of these entrance exams are intended to evaluate a candidate’s potential as a health professional worldwide. As a result, we should think about include additional material that assesses critical thinking, higher order cognitive skills, and the ethical and contextual domains. He added that the current approach mostly consists of retesting previously taught material, which insufficiently justifies the substantial time and effort put into this crucial test for a specialized field.
All of the concerns raised were supported by PM&DC President Prof. Dr. Rizwan Taj, who also told the members that he has participated in multiple Senate and National Assembly discussions on the subject. He underlined that by December 2024, PM&DC needs to produce an Action Plan for the MDCAT exam revisions.
He went on to say that in light of recent problems with the MDCAT exam, it is critical to allay worries and restate our steadfast dedication to guaranteeing an impartial and open testing procedure throughout Pakistan. He maintained MDCAT as a standard of integrity and underlined the necessity for it to stay free from controversy.
He said, “Despite great efforts to maintain fairness, I regret the misconduct that occurred in the recent MDCAT exam.”We are quite worried about the damage done by dishonest people who have damaged the system’s reputation during this nationwide exercise.
He conveyed optimism and assurance that the reform committee will set up a strong and open structure to win back the public’s trust and maintain the validity of this critical analysis. He expressed optimism and faith that the reform committee will create a strong and open framework to win back public confidence and uphold the legitimacy of this important investigation.
We may make every effort to stop such incidents and implement thorough measures to guarantee the examination system’s long-term viability and accountability. Three primary categories Content, Conduct, and Policy were established at the end of the meeting.In order to expedite the reform process, the Chairman formally assigned future duties and formed three subcommittees (working groups) with due dates for more work.
With agreement from both domestic and international boards, the first subcommittee, the MDCAT Syllabus Committee, which has four members, will create a single syllabus. In addition to creating an outline with a plan for creating a sustainable question bank, they will also write a Table of Specifications for the exam.
Proposing a secure question bank site and e-assessment plan, along with technical specifications and cost estimates, is the responsibility of the second subcommittee, the E-Assessment Project Committee, which consists of three members. A working paper on the procedures for carrying out centralized e-MDCAT will also be drafted by them.
Two members make up the third subcommittee, the MDCAT Policy Document Committee, which will be tasked with creating a thorough policy document to ensure the national exam runs smoothly. All subcommittees were instructed by the chairman to turn in their drafts by December. At its next meeting, the draft action plan will be evaluated. The Chairman formally thanked each member for their time and insightful contributions in his final remarks.
