The delay in organizing the MDCAT exam for Sindh’s medical aspirants has sparked frustration and concerns. Due to ongoing issues between the Sindh government’s health department, universities & boards department, and IBA Karachi, there’s no clarity on the date or even who will conduct the test. Following complaints about irregularities in the last MDCAT, the Sindh High Court ordered a re-exam on October 26, directing IBA Karachi to perform the test in Karachi and IBA Sukkur for the rest of the province. Yet, IBA Karachi declined to proceed, citing resource issues.
Despite IBA Karachi’s refusal, the health department has not moved forward decisively, only managing a preliminary meeting where IBA Karachi made it clear they couldn’t organize the test. Since then, the health department has not issued any new orders, leaving over 38,000 candidates in limbo. The department is left with less than three weeks to arrange the MDCAT, with Karachi’s 12,572 candidates still uncertain if IBA Sukkur will step in or if another solution will emerge.
Further complicating matters, the IBA Sukkur lacks a question bank for the pre-medical exam level, which is critical to conducting an accurate MDCAT. Sources indicate that Health Secretary Rehan Baloch has yet to provide IBA Sukkur with the necessary resources, funds, or official instructions to step in. This lack of communication is raising serious concerns among aspiring students who fear more delays.
With thousands of hopeful students waiting, the health department’s lack of urgency is alarming. The future of aspiring doctors hangs in the balance as the Sindh government scrambles to resolve this MDCAT dilemma, and students anxiously await a confirmed plan.
