National Assembly Committee Proposes Reducing MDCAT Validity to One Year

What Happened

• The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination has directed the Ministry of National Health Services to reduce the validity of Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) results from three years to one year [2].
• This change is intended to address the issue of vacant seats in medical and dental colleges [2].
• Health Minister Mustafa Kamal stated that the ministry has approved the proposal and has forwarded it to the federal cabinet for final approval [1].
• The proposed reduction is not yet final and requires approval from the federal cabinet before implementation [1, 3].
• If implemented, the change would take effect from the next academic year [1, 2].
• During the meeting, the committee reviewed the MDCAT 2026 results and endorsed them, stating that no major irregularities affecting the credibility of the exam were reported [2].
• Vice chancellors of the conducting universities briefed the committee, noting that complaints regarding question papers and answer keys had been resolved [2].
• A six-member team from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) visited the Sukkur IBA examination centre and reported no serious concerns [2].
• The committee also requested that examination authorities provide question papers to students after future exams to increase transparency [1, 2].

Who Is Affected

• Aspiring medical and dental students will be affected by the change in result validity [2].
• Under the proposal, students would no longer be able to use MDCAT results for three consecutive years when applying for admissions [1].
• Private medical colleges are also under scrutiny; the committee noted reports of excessive fee collection and directed the PM&DC to take action against institutions charging beyond approved limits [2].
• The current minimum fee cap is Rs. 1.8 million, though 35 institutions were allowed fee increases up to a maximum of Rs. 2.1 million following audits and Council approval [2].
• The committee expressed concern regarding students being harassed or prevented from attending classes due to non-payment of unauthorized additional charges [2].

What Students Should Do Next

• Universities have been urged by the committee to proceed with their current admission processes without unnecessary delay to provide relief to students [2].
• Vice chancellors of conducting universities are to be formally notified regarding the validity of MDCAT results [2].