IBA Sukkur Proposes December 1 for MDCAT Retake

KARACHI: The Institute of Business Administration (IBA) in Sukkur has proposed December 1 as the date for the Medical & Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) retake.

Last month, the Sindh High Court directed the provincial government to hold a fresh MDCAT within four weeks after a probe committee concluded that the entire test procedure was compromised. The court also asked the Sindh government to cover all expenses for the retake and to hire IBA Karachi/IBA Sukkur for the task.

Preparations are underway, with experts developing a question database. The health department submitted a report to the Sindh High Court through the provincial advocate general, detailing the agreement with IBA Sukkur and the extension granted for conducting the test.

The Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) appointed its Controller of Examinations, Imdad Khushak, as the focal point for the MDCAT. The health department designated its Deputy Health Secretary, Zohaib Hasan Sheikh, for the same role.

IBA Sukkur requested the PMDC to reduce the number of options in the multiple-choice questions (MCQs) from five to four, aligning with current practices. The MDCAT conducted by Dow University of Health Sciences and other provinces offered five options, whereas IBA Sukkur’s tests typically provided four options.

The Sindh cabinet approved Rs232.14 million for holding the MDCAT afresh in the province, allowing candidates who appeared in the September 22 test to sit in the retake free of cost.