LAHORE – The University of Health Sciences has announced that it would conduct the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) 2017 once again on October 29th (Sunday).
The entry test is happening for the second time in the same academic year as investigations revealed that the earlier paper held on August 20th was leaked ahead of time.
According to a communique issued by the entry test regulator, no fee would be charged from the aspirants who would be sitting in MDCAT with the roll numbers previously assigned.
“The candidates will be re-appearing for the test in the same examination centres,” stated the UHS.
It also confirmed that the students who lost their previous roll number slips can download it again from the website.
It bears mentioning that Khawaja Salman Rafique, Minister for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education while addressing a press conference at Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) on Thursday revealed that a racket was involved in the heinous offence of providing paper to specific aspirants.
“The investigations, conducted so far, have revealed the involvement of an organised racket having close links with some of the doctors, non-doctors and renowned academies that offered services for preparation of the entrance test,” he said.
MDCAT Paper Leak
The news of the MDCAT paper leak spread like wildfire on social media after August 20 when some of the users shared pictures of the paper.
The allegation that the paper, which decides who would be becoming a doctor or dental surgeon, became mainstream when students moved Lahore High Court seeking an inquiry.
At that time, UHS Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Junaid Sarfraz Khan rubbished the rumors that the entry test paper had been leaked.
According to a UHS spokesman, it was just a hoax by a Facebook page named ‘Ya mbbs hai mamu’ that claimed the leakage of paper.
The UHS head also moved FIA to track the perpetrator who according to him had dented the credibility of the institute.
More than 65,000 candidates including 41,000 female students appeared for the Punjab Medical & Dental Colleges’ Admission Test (MDCAT).
The University of Health Sciences (UHS) had deputed around 5,500 invigilators and around 1,000 superintendents and deputy superintendents.
The test was held simultaneously at 28 centres established in 13 cities – Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Sargodha, Gujrat, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sialkot, DG Khan and Hassan Abdal, The Nation reported.
This year, the candidates are competing for 3405 MBBS seats in 17 public sector medical colleges and 216 BDS seats in three public dental colleges of the province. Besides, there are 2590 MBBS seats available in 21 private medical colleges and 555 BDS seats in nine private dental colleges affiliated with the university.
