167,077 candidates to take MDCAT across country on 22nd

The Medical & Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) will be held on September 22 under the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC), for which the PMDC has received 174,744 applications, generating an income of Rs1,397,952,000.

This year the PMDC has charged a fee of Rs8,000 per application instead of Rs5,000. After verification, the PMDC has declared 167,077 applications valid and admissible to take the test.

Most of the candidates belong to Punjab, where 58,380 candidates will take the test at the University of Health Sciences, Lahore, while 42,329 candidates from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will take the test at the Khyber Medical University, Peshawar.

Sindh’s 38,678 candidates will take the test at the Dow University of Health Sciences’ Ojha Campus and the NED University in Karachi, while 5,806 candidates from Balochistan will take the test at the Bolan University of Medical & Health Sciences, Quetta.

Islamabad’s 18,408 candidates, Azad Jammu & Kashmir’s 3,145 candidates, and Dubai and Riyadh’s 259 candidates will take the test at Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad, while 259 candidates from Gilgit-Baltistan will take the test at the Karakoram International University.

The medical and dental colleges run by the armed forces have already conducted their test, while the Aga Khan Medical College is the only private medical college in the country that conducts their test separately for 100 seats and has nothing to do with MDCAT, which is mandatory for admissions in all the other private medical and dental colleges across the country.

PMDC President Prof Dr Rizwan Taj has also nominated council members to monitor MDCAT and ensure that it is conducted smoothly in their respective provinces, with Prof Dr Amjad Siraj Memon overseeing Sindh, Prof Dr Khalid Masood Gondal Punjab, Prof Dr Muhammad Zubair Khan KP, Prof Dr Tehmina Asad Balochistan and Barrister Chaudhry Sultan Mansoor Islamabad.

Dr Taj has directed the universities to ensure biometric identification and implement strict security protocols, including the use of cameras and jammers, to prevent malpractice during the test.

He emphasised the importance of maintaining the integrity of MDCAT and ensuring that all students have a fair opportunity to showcase their abilities.

The responsibility of conducting MDCAT has been entrusted to prestigious public universities across the country, he pointed out.

He urged the universities to provide adequate resources and training to exam proctors and staff to ensure that they are equipped to effectively monitor and enforce exam regulations.

He stressed that any instance of cheating or misconduct during MDCAT would not be tolerated, and strict action would be taken against those found guilty.