The Lahore High Court (LHC) issued a notice to the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) on Monday, seeking a reply to a petition for the cancellation of the ongoing Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT).
According to the details, Justice Muzammil Akhtar Shabbir has sent a notice to PMC for a petition seeking the cancellation of MDCAT on account of it not being conducted on the same day, which is in violation of the law.
Agha Intizar Ali Imran, a senior lawyer, stated on behalf of the petitioner Hadiya Khalid that she had to face several issues, hurdles, and illegalities during the MDCAT and had not been able to score her expected marks despite being an exceptional student.
The lawyer contended that under Section 18 (1) of the Pakistan Medical Commission Act 2020 (PMCA), the MDCAT is to be conducted “on the same day” as “a single admissions test” to provide applicants with an equal opportunity. However, PMC is conducting the test from 30 August to 30 September in violation of Article 4 of the Constitution and Section 18 (1) of the PMCA.
He also cited the verdict of the Lahore High Court in the Abwa Knowledge PVT case wherein it had ruled that “the authority shall conduct annually on a date approved by the council as per standards approved by the board a single admission test which shall be a mandatory requirement for all students seeking admission to medical or dental undergraduate program”.
The lawyer requested the court to cancel the MDCAT, and have it rescheduled to be conducted on the same day according to Section 18 of the PMCA 2020.
