MDCAT tests not up to par with standards: Senate panel

Senators infuriated by PMC officials for 'gross injustice' wrought upon students

ISLAMABAD:

Senate’s Standing Committee on National Health Services (NHS) on Wednesday came down hard on the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) entry test, saying it was was not at par with international standards.

The meeting was chaired by Dr Muhammad Hamayun Mohmand.

The chairman of the committee said that according to his experience and understanding the system of the 32-days examination for one single test was baseless and a clear injustice with students.

The committee also expressed displeasure over the absence of the PMC’s president and unanimously decided that the agenda point must only be taken in the presence of the president and the employees of TEPS.

The chairman directed that a one-point agenda will be taken up in the next meeting on the briefing by the PMC on the MDCAT test conducted by TEPS.

Expressing frustration, Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi slammed the PMC’s chief, saying the latter behaved like “a defiant king” despite being summoned numerous times by the committee. The senator requested that strict instructions be issued to him to solve the problems of the students and ensure his attendance on the committee.

Senator Rubina Khalid said that the country's top students failed as multiple exams were administered in one day. PMC officials should be held accountable for this "gross injustice" to the students, she added.

Briefing the committee on the situation of hospitals in the federal capital and the malfunction of MRI machines, PIMS officials said that the tender for new MRI machines had been timely issued according to which the company had 120 days to deliver the machines. This period expired on October 4 and now the company has asked for another 60 days, he stated.

Read 35.4% of MDCAT takers pass contentious exam

Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi asked who is responsible for the company’s delay. A quick solution is needed, he said adding that seven to ten thousand patients visit the outpatient department every day and are facing severe problems.

Senator Muhammad Shafiq Tareen said that when the committee members visited a polyclinic, they discovered that juniors have been posted as seniors and some people are holding up to four positions at one time, adding that the system needs to change.

IHC serves notice to PMC

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC), also on Wednesday, issued notices to the PMC and other parties on the petition of medical students against MDCAT examinations and has sought a reply by November 1.

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the students’ petition against the MDCAT exams as a large number of petitioning medical students appeared before the IHC. Advocate Hasan Raza Pasha, Adnan Randhawa, Moazzam Habib and Dr GM Chaudhry appeared before the court on behalf of the petitioning students.

Hassan Raza Pasha said that a lot of legal issues were ignored, adding that there were numerous irregularities in the execution of the MDCAT examinations and additional abnormalities in the results.

PMC lawyer Sardar Taimoor Aslam’s aide sought adjournment of the hearing. Advocate Adnan Randhawa replied that he wanted to submit a written reply regarding the case on which the court adjourned the hearing till November 1.