Islamabad, Oct 19: PMDC Stops MBBS and BDS Admission Process Following Judiciary Orders
Following orders from the Sindh High Court (SHC) and Islamabad High Court (IHC), which issued restraining orders on the PMDC Stops MBBS and BDS Admission results, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has instructed all medical and dental colleges in Pakistan to halt admissions for MBBS and BDS programs for 2024, PMDC officials said on Friday.
Allegations of anomalies in the MDCAT tests, such as a paper leak in Sindh and “out of syllabus” questions in Islamabad, are presently being looked into by the courts. The final decisions from both courts are anticipated by the end of this month, according to PMDC officials.
It’s interesting to note that, according to PMDC regulations, the MDCAT scores from Dow University and SZAMBU apply nationally. According to PMDC officials, admissions to all medical and dental colleges are suspended until the outcomes from these institutions are verified.
Prof. Dr. Rizwan Taj, President of PMDC, acknowledged in an exclusive interview with The News that “we have directed all public and private medical colleges to pause the admission process.” The supreme court’s decisions are enforceable across the country, and admissions cannot begin until the courts have made their rulings.
The PMDC and other parties involved, such as university representatives and health secretaries, have promised the courts that they will work with them to find a solution. Despite pressure to safeguard students’ prospects, the PMDC stressed that maintaining the integrity of the test process is essential.
In a few weeks, both high courts are anticipated to render their decisions, casting doubt on the future of thousands of students. Pakistan’s extremely competitive and controversial medical admissions process is made more difficult by this recent incident, as the MDCAT has already been under criticism in prior years owing to similar difficulties.
The full investigation is anticipated to be completed in the upcoming weeks, and the next court date is set for late October.