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The National Assembly’s health committee has called for urgent reforms to the MDCAT system after rising concerns over the validity of results and the growing number of vacant medical and dental seats. In its latest meeting, the panel said inconsistent exam standards across years are creating unfair advantages, prompting many students to seek court intervention.
The committee, chaired by MNA Mahesh Kumar Malani, reviewed issues related to PMDC regulations, IBCC equivalency concerns and governance problems inside the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council. Officials acknowledged that three-year result validity is causing major disputes, but the health minister said legislative changes would be considered once the committee submits formal recommendations.
During the meeting, members also raised alarm over hundreds of vacant MBBS and BDS seats caused by inter-college transfers and students shifting disciplines. The minister directed PMDC, the Law Division and university vice chancellors to submit a legally vetted plan within two days to stop further seat wastage.
They also examined long-standing IBCC equivalency problems affecting Cambridge-system students, with the chair instructing members to work directly with IBCC to create a fair formula. On the PNMC issue, the minister confirmed that the newly reconstituted council will meet next week, adding that “all pending matters must be resolved within one week.”
Officials further discussed DRAP oversight, pharmacy referral practices near federal hospitals and the transfer of the 200-bed TB Hospital to the Punjab government.
