Admissions in medical, dental colleges halted over court orders

ISLAMABAD: All medical and dental colleges nationwide have been directed to pause admissions for 2024 following ‘restraining orders’ on the MDCAT results from both the Sindh High Court (SHC) and Islamabad High Court (IHC).

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) instructed institutions to halt admissions in MBBS and BDS programs.

Both courts have been currently pursuing the case regarding allegations of irregularities, including a paper leak in Sindh and ‘Out of Syllabus’ questions in Islamabad.

PMDC officials clarified that the MDCAT results of both the Dow and SZAMBU universities are applicable across Pakistan and until the courts decide on the matter, the admissions cannot proceed.

Following the alleged claims of the MDCAT paper leaked in Sindh, several petitions were moved in the Sindh High Court, promoting the court to halt the admission process.

A two-judge bench of SHC formed committees to investigate the allegations thoroughly. The committee has been tasked with investigating the validity of the test and determining any criminal and civil liabilities.

A similar committee has been established by the PMDC led by Prof. Iqbal Khan, VC Shifa Tammer-e-Millat University to address complaints from students in Islamabad, who reported similar irregularities.

The next hearing is scheduled for late October, with a full investigation expected to be completed within a couple of weeks.