MDCAT: Notices issued over request to release questionnaire

The Sindh High Court has directed Institute of Business Administration and other parties to submit their responses by the next hearing regarding the candidates' request for the release of the MDCAT questionnaire.

The hearing of the petition regarding the release of the MDCAT questionnaire was held in the Sindh High Court, where the petitioner's lawyer argued that while answer sheets were provided for MDCAT, the questionnaire itself was not.

Without the questionnaire, it is not possible to assess the questions.

The petitioner's lawyer further stated that there could be errors or questions outside the syllabus in the MDCAT.

Due to past irregularities in the MDCAT, candidates have concerns. In Punjab and KPK, MD CAT candidates were provided with a copy of the questionnaire along with their answer sheets.

The petition also stated that the Islamabad High Court had issued an order for the release of the questionnaire.

The petition requested that the release of the final MDCAT results be halted until the questionnaire is issued and verified.

It is noted that the parties have yet to submit their responses. The court has directed IBA and other parties to submit their responses by the next hearing, and the hearing has been adjourned until January 20.

Earlier, The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, chaired by Dr. Mahesh Kumar Malani, met on Thursday to discuss reforms for a fair and transparent MDCAT exam system.

The committee proposed implementing a single national curriculum to reduce regional disparities and emphasized strengthening the healthcare sector.

They also discussed the regulation of the growing psychology profession and highlighted concerns over out-of-syllabus questions in MDCAT exams.

A revised answer key was issued after some questions were removed. The committee suggested mandatory juvenile cards for biometric verification to prevent impersonation and recommended decentralizing MDCAT exams to give provinces more autonomy.

Additionally, the committee reviewed bills related to nursing, pharmacy, and healthcare regulations, deferring some due to the absence of movers.

A final decision on these issues will be made after further consultations.