ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council(PMDC) has decided to waive the Medical and Dental College Admission Test requirement for Pakistani students seeking admission to medical and dental institutions abroad.
The PMDC issued a public notice stating that Pakistani students seeking admission to foreign medical and dental colleges will no longer be required to pass the MDCAT.
According to the notice, the exemption applies to Pakistani students who intend to pursue medical or dental education at institutions outside the country.
The development comes after the PMDC recently reversed its decision to extend the duration of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery program from four to five years.
PMDC officials informed the Senate Standing Committee on Health that the council had withdrawn its earlier notification regarding the extension of the BDS program.
The committee directed the PMDC to formally notify the continuation of the four-year BDS program.
Earlier, Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has taken notice of complaints of alleged irregularities in the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) in Sindh and ordered an investigation into the results.
The Ministry of National Health Services has written to the president of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), directing a detailed review of the MDCAT results.
The ministry has asked the PMDC to analyze the number of candidates, scores, pass rates and highest marks on a center-by-center basis.
It also directed authorities to investigate any unusual or significant differences in results among examination centers.
The review will include attendance sheets, seating plans, center records and result data, according to the ministry.
The PMDC has also been asked to examine invigilation arrangements and available digital records, including allegations of impersonation, in which another person may have appeared in place of a candidate, as well as claims of paper leaks.
