Syed Muhammad YaseenÂ
Islamabad: Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Mr. Syed Mustafa Kamal, inaugurated the newly developed MDCAT Question Bank at the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PM&DC) headquarters today.
PM&DC President, Prof. Dr. Rizwan Taj, Registrar, warmly welcomed the Minister upon his arrival. Following the inauguration, Prof. Dr. Rizwan Taj, Registrar, and the Examination Team delivered a comprehensive presentation on the ongoing preparations for the MDCAT Examination 2025. The briefing outlined the extensive measures being undertaken to ensure transparency, security, and fairness in the conduct of the MDCAT exam.
During the presentation, the Federal Minister was informed by the President that PM&DC’s role is limited to registering candidates and providing overall supervision of the MDCAT process. The actual conduct of the examination, including paper setting, administration, and evaluation, is the sole responsibility of the designated public admitting universities. PM&DC clarified that beyond candidate registration and oversight, it does not interfere in operational matters, thereby ensuring impartiality and merit-based admissions.
Mr. Mustafa Kamal attentively reviewed the briefing and emphasized that no lapses should occur in the upcoming MDCAT examination preparations. He appreciated that the introduction of the new question bank would be instrumental in minimizing errors, enhancing fairness, and strengthening public confidence in the evaluation process.
The Minister was apprised that more than 30 examination venues have been designated nationwide to facilitate candidates and ensure accessibility. He was also briefed on the deployment of modern digital safeguards to further enhance the security and integrity of the MDCAT process. He also inspected the online registration and monitoring portal, and was informed that 97,028 candidates have already registered till now, with this total, it is expected to reach over 150,000 candidates before the closure of registrations.
Commending PM&DC’s efforts, Mr. Mustafa Kamal appreciated the development of a comprehensive question bank based on a common syllabus agreed upon by all provinces and suggested that PM&DC may consider expanding the pool of questions provided to admitting universities to allow greater flexibility in preparing the MDCAT paper.
He further underscored the importance of clearly delegating responsibility to provincial admitting universities, ensuring transparency and accountability at every stage. He added that despite several challenges, Pakistan’s education system remains among the best when compared with many other countries. He emphasized that the primary role of PM&DC is to develop and provide a uniform policy for MDCAT, while the actual conduct and management of the exam is the responsibility of the provincial public medical universities.
Reaffirming his commitment, Mr. Kamal assured full government support to strengthen PM&DC’s institutional capacity, digitalization, and governance reforms. He emphasized that these initiatives are aligned with the government’s broader vision of uplifting Pakistan’s health and education sectors.
The Minister was also briefed on logistical arrangements, provincial coordination, and technology-driven solutions aimed at minimizing errors and ensuring a smooth examination process. Dr. Rizwan Taj reiterated that PM&DC has spared no effort to uphold merit and excellence, implementing reforms that not only strengthen the credibility of MDCAT but also restore public trust in the admissions system. Highlighting the significance of the newly developed standardized syllabus-based question bank, Dr. Rizwan Taj said that it addresses long-standing concerns regarding regional disparities, creating a level playing field and ensuring merit-based admissions nationwide.
Briefing the Minister on other organizational matters, President PM&DC received valuable guidance. Mr. Mustafa Kamal suggested that detailed presentations be prepared on ongoing issues to establish a comprehensive framework for the future. He emphasized the urgent need for a fully digitized system for colleges, inspections, and related functions, ensuring efficiency, transparency, and minimal human interaction across all PM&DC domains.
