In a major relief to MDCAT students, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has responded to student concerns about unfair testing, ordering a complete MDCAT retake. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, overseeing the case, directed Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University SZABIST to reconduct the MDCAT exam within a month, giving affected students a chance at a fair test.
The decision comes after petitions highlighted the presence of out-of-syllabus questions in the MDCAT exam. According to a Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) report, this year’s MDCAT paper contained numerous questions outside the prescribed syllabus. This finding became central to the case, with students insisting on a retake due to the undue stress and the competitive disadvantage caused by these questions.
Advocate Qazi Adil, representing the students, argued that around 30 questions were irrelevant to the syllabus, making it nearly impossible for many candidates to score fairly. He noted the stark performance gap, with only three students in Islamabad scoring above 190, compared to thousands in Punjab. The petition also raised concerns about equal opportunity for students across provinces.
The court’s directive for an MDCAT retake exam has sparked a wave of relief and optimism among students and their families. Many believe this move will enable them to compete on a level playing field. Students expressed gratitude for the decision, hoping for a fresh chance to prove their abilities without the added stress of unfair questions. The court’s order emphasized the need for expert involvement in paper-setting, suggesting that future MDCAT exams be designed by professionals to prevent such issues.
 has responded to student concerns about unfair testing, ordering a complete MDCAT retake. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, overseeing the case, directed Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University SZABIST to reconduct the MDCAT exam within a month, giving affected students a chance at a fair test.){kind=link}