Govt allows students to take MDCAT prior to grade 12 exams

The government has allowed all students to take the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) even if they have not yet taken their FSc (pre-medical) or A Level exams.

The decision was taken during a joint high level huddle held in Islamabad on Thursday under the co-chair of Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood and Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan.            

The meeting aims to ensure the admission of FSc (Pre-medical) and A2 Cambridge students in public and private medical universities of Pakistan.           

The disruption caused in academic year and exams due to Covid-19, the meeting discussed various options to save the academic year of A2 and FSc pre-medical students and their timely admission in public and private medical universities across the country.     

The Pakistan Medical Council (PMC) informed the minister that as per the PMC Undergraduate Education (Admissions, Curriculum and Conduct) Regulations 2021, all students who wish to seek admission in medical and dental colleges can take the MDCAT examination even if they have not yet taken their FSc pre-medical or A Level exams.  

The MDCAT exam will be conducted from 30th August to 30th September.

 All students who are taking their A Level exams in October can take the MDCAT exam in September and also apply for admissions to medical colleges before their exams are held.          

Admissions have to be finalised in medical and dental colleges by 15th January 2022 as per PMC regulations.            

It was agreed that to accommodate students taking their A Level exams in October and expected results in January 2022, each medical and dental colleges and universities will be directed to not finalise the admission on seats equal to the applicants who have taken their A levels in October and are awaiting their results and the admission on these seats will be finalised after the results are available in January 2022.         

For this purpose, the PMC will permit colleges to finalise admission on these special category seats by 10th February 2022.             

The PMC vice-president also requested the federal minister for education and SAPM health to consider the issue of using only elective subject results this year for merit creation in public colleges in view of the FSc exams being held for elective subjects only. 
The PMC is already considering a policy on these lines for private colleges.  

Both ministers reaffirmed that the incumbent government is absolutely focused to address the education emergencies due to Covid-19 and “no stone will be left unturned to provide the students fair opportunities for their career path”.  

It was also agreed that the Ministry of Federal Education will closely coordinate with provincial governments for the smooth implementation of this agreed policy.