ISLAMABAD:The Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination recommended that Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) be conducted twice a year to provide greater flexibility and additional opportunities for aspiring medical students.
A meeting of the Committee was held on Tuesday at Parliament House, here, under the chairpersonship of Senator Anusha Rahman. The meeting was attended by Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani, and Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri.The Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Syed Mustafa Kamal also attended the meeting.
The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) briefed the Sub-Committee on the MDCAT and its historical context.
The Committee raised concerns regarding differences in the academic backgrounds of FSc l, IB and A-Level students. Students concerns were shared that the existing MDCAT syllabus poses challenges for students from different streams that lead to growing dependence on private tuition academies for MDCAT preparation.
It was noted that A-Level students are often required to study the FSc syllabus, while FSc students are expected to adapt to concepts aligned with the A-Level curriculum.
It was emphasized that students should be examined according to their respective educational medium and showed concern on financial burden on students when relying on expensive coaching centres.
Responding to the concerns, the Federal Minister assured the Committee that the Ministry would continue to address all genuine concerns. The Minister further stated that organized groups associated with tuition academies had been circulating coordinated text messages to create unnecessary controversy to delay the test.
He clarified that MDCAT has been scheduled approximately three weeks after the conclusion of the respective board examinations.
Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani observed that the FSc curriculum is primarily knowledge-based and emphasizes detailed study, whereas the A-Level system focuses more on analytical and reasoning skills.
The PMDC informed the Committee that MDCAT has been designed around common learning outcomes shared by both FSc and A-Level curricula to ensure fairness for all candidates.
The Minister agreed to review this concern.
The Committee further highlighted the issue of high tuition fees in private medical colleges, noting that many seats remain vacant because they are beyond the financial reach of deserving students and students are opting to study abroad as fees are more affordable.
Citing international examples, the committee emphasized the need to review the existing fee structure of private medical institutions to make medical education more accessible.
The committee appreciated the reforms introduced by the PMDC and acknowledged its contribution to producing competent healthcare professionals.
The committee recommended that the Council review its existing policies and launch comprehensive awareness campaigns through brochures and public outreach initiatives to educate students about unrecognized foreign medical institutions whose degrees are not accepted in Pakistan.
The committee further recommended that Pakistani medical graduates returning from abroad after being unable to secure residency positions should be provided greater opportunities to complete house jobs and professional training within the country.
Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani proposed reviewing the existing admission criteria by assigning 40 percent weightage to MDCAT, 50 percent to academic performance, and 10 percent to interviews, The PMDC, however, observed that reducing the weightage of MDCAT could undermine the significance and credibility of the national admission test.
Concluding the discussion, the Federal Minister directed the relevant authorities to provide comprehensive data for the last five years, including the number of students who appeared in MDCAT and a comparative breakdown of candidates belonging to the FSc and A-Level streams. The Committee decided to continue deliberations on the matter in its forthcoming meetings.