Students protest ‘mismanaged’ medical colleges entry test

Protesters say online exams held in chaotic atmosphere, riddled with administrative problems

KARACHI:

Students and activists from Jamiat staged a protest outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC) against the management of the Medical and Dental College Aptitude Test (MDCAT) and Pakistan Medical Council (PMC) on Monday.

The exams held online were conducted in a chaotic atmosphere and riddled with administrative problems, claimed the protestors, warning of nationwide demonstrations if their concerns were not addressed.

The software and hardware used by PMC for the exams had malfunctioned, said the protestors. They pointed out that the servers hosting the exams were frequently down. The demonstrators lamented that the hard work of students was wasted due to the poor examination system of the PMC.

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They further stressed that the students were not given the right to complain or get their papers reassessed or scrutinised.

The students demanded that a commission be formed immediately to probe and resolve all the problems of MDCAT students. They urged that the legitimate rights of the students should not be violated.

A large number of students from Jamiat - the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami - participated in the protest. They carried placards and banners in their hands and shouted slogans calling for their demands.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2021.