The Medical & Dental Council held its 11th meeting on May 14, 2022 and we have some decisions that will affect doctors, dentists, MBBS students and MDCAT candidates throughout the country. This was an important meeting of the Medical & Dental Council providing direction and guidance to medical practitioners and MDCAT 2022 students across the country. Some of the major decisions that were taken include MDCAT exam 2022 date, MDCAT 2022 registration opening date, lowering of MDCAT passing marks, admissions on vacant seats in Medical colleges and closure of Muhammad Medical College Peshawar.
This article will go over what these decisions are, what they mean, and how it affects you as a MDCAT student or MBBS student. We'll also take a look at what's coming up next in the schedule of Medical & Dental Council so you can stay up to date with everything from MDCAT updates to MBBS and BDS admissions. Let’s take a look at some of the most important decisions made in 11th meeting of the Medical & Dental Council.
Summary of Medical & Dental Council 11th Meeting Decisions
The Medical & Dental Council held its 11th meeting on Saturday, May 14, 2022 at Pakistan Medical Commission. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Arshad Taqi, president of Medical & Dental Council. The Medical & Dental Council has published the agenda and summary of decisions from 11th meeting of Medical & Dental Council. In the meeting, decisions were made for MDCAT candidates, MBBS and BDS Students and Foreign Medical Graduates. A short summary of Medical & Dental Council 11th Meeting Decisions are given below.
| List of Decisions Made in 11th Meeting of Medical & Dental Council |
|---|
| 1. MDCAT 2022 registration will open on May 25, 2022 and MDCAT 2022 will be held from September 7, 2022 to September 30, 2022. |
| 2. MDCAT 2022 passing percentage for BDS program has been reduced to 60%. |
| 3. Detailed Analysis Paper about admissions on vacant seats will discussed in next week. |
| 4. National Admissions Scheduling Committee has been constituted to create an Admission Schedule. |
| 5. Dental colleges will not share facilities with Medical colleges. |
| 6. Muhammad Medical College Peshawar has been closed due to illegal activities. |
| 7. NLE-2 exam has not been cancelled and passing percentage has not been lowered from 70%. |
Decision on MDCAT Exam 2022 Date and Admission Opening Date
The Medical and Dental Council has its 11th meeting on 14th May 2022. The council members discussed about the MDCAT Exam 2022 Date. Different dates were proposed by responsible members of council. A few months ago, the PMC had issued an Exam Schedule 2022 stating that the MDCAT exam 2022 would be held from August 15, 2022 to August 30, 2022 and September 5, 2022 to September 20, 2022. The Medical & Dental Council has revised Exam Schedule 2022 on May 5, 2022 and in its 11th meeting has decided that MDCAT Exam 2022 will be held from September 7, 2022 to September 30, 2022. Last year, the MDCAT exam was held in two sessions from August 30, 2021 to September 30, 2021. This year the MDCAT exam will be conducted in the month of September in 24 days.
The test centers for MDCAT exam will be in 20 different cities of Pakistan. Therefore, students from all over Pakistan can choose one of the 20 cities mentioned by the PMC as the examination center. The MDCAT exam 2022 will be conducted by Pakistan Medical Commission and will be computer based and result will be shared with students after the 30 minutes of test submission like previous years. This year the MDCAT test will be held by PMC owned IT system. Last year, the students' experience in conducting the MDCAT test by an IT company called TEPS was not good and there were many allegations against PMC by students, parents and educational institutions. So, this year Pakistan Medical Commission has developed its own IT system for the purpose of conducting transparent MDCAT exam.
The Medical & Dental Council in its 11th meeting announced that the Registrations for MDCAT exam 2022 will start from May 25, 2022 for candidates who are interested in taking admission to Medical or Dental colleges. Candidates can register themselves online by creating an account on PMC official website. Registration for NMDCAT exam 2022 will be finalized after the uploading of required documents and payment of MDCAT registration fee. In 2021, the registration fee for MDCAT 2021 is Rs. 6000 PKR. The registration fee for MDCAT 2022 is not announced yet.
The Medical & Dental Council has ordered the PMC to create an MDCAT Question Bank for MDCAT exam 2022. For this purpose, the Medical & Dental Council has passed a policy for the addition of the Provisional MDCAT Committees which are established in each province and territory by the Federal Government and Provincial Governments of respective province and territory. Pakistan Medical Commission will select three members from each Provisional MDCAT Committee. Out of these three members nominated from each Provisional MDCAT Committee, two will be from Public Sector Medical universities and one from Private Medical university.
The MDCAT Committees will recommend changes after reviewing, revising and evaluating the MDCAT curriculum proposed by the National Medical and Dental Academic Board. Topics that are not included in the local course book of a province will be removed from the MDCAT Curriculum at the request of Provisional MDCAT Committee of that province. The MDCAT Committees will work on the MDCAT Question Bank and every member of MDCAT Committees will create a specific number of MCQs for NMDCAT 2022 Question Bank. It is done with an aim to increase transparency of NMDCAT exam and ensure better functioning of Medical and Dental colleges. If you are preparing hard to appear in Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT), you can enhance your Preparation by watching KIPS LMS Lectures uploaded on our website. You can also prepare for MDCAT 2022 by taking STEP MDCAT Regular Session 2022 which will start after the Board Exams of 2nd year in Punjab College Campuses and also shared on Official Website of FSC and MDCAT free of cost for all students. We hope many MDCAT aspirants give their best to get admission into reputed Medical and Dental colleges of Pakistan.
Decision on Lowering MDCAT Passing Percentage for Admission to Dental Program
Medical and Dental colleges in Sindh protested against the high passing percentage of MDCAT for admission in Medical and Dental colleges. Due to MDCAT high passing percentage, many students are denied admission in Medical and Dental colleges. So, Dental colleges held two recent meetings with National Academic Board and recommended National Academic Board to lower the Passing Percentage of MDCAT. The National Academic Board assured Dental colleges to heed their request. In its 11th meeting, the Medical & Dental Council has made some important decisions about reducing the passing marks of MDCAT. The Medical & Dental Council announced its decision to lower passing marks of MDCAT required for admission to dental programs. The new passing marks of MDCAT for admission in BDS program will be 60%, instead of 65%. But the MDCAT passing marks for those students who want to take admissions in MBBS will be 65% similar to previous years.
The Medical & Dental Council in its 11th Meeting has given few suggestions to National Academic Board to lower MDCAT passing percentage to 55% for BDS students. The National Academic Board has proposed further action plan to National Academic Authority. According to the action plan, the National Academic Authority will create a summary of MDCAT average score after collecting data of average score of MDCAT from provinces and Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU). The authority will submit the MDCAT average score summary to National Academic Board. The Board will consider the MDCAT average score data in order to decide about the lowering of MDCAT Passing Percentage to 55% for admission in BDS program.
Decision on Admissions on Vacant Seats in Medical Colleges
Due to high passing marks of MDCAT and mismanagement of Admission Committee, many seats remained vacant in Medical and Dental colleges of Sindh, Pakistan. PMC designed different policies for the solution of issue of vacant seats in Medical colleges of Sindh but Medical colleges' concerns about PMC have not gone away. As per 11th meeting of Medical and Dental Council held on May 14, 2022, decision has been made for filling of current vacant seats in Private Medical colleges of Pakistan and Public Sector Colleges of Sindh. The Medical & Dental Council has considered the current state of vacant seats in various Private Medical universities across Pakistan and in Government Medical colleges of Sindh and requests have been forwarded to Admission Section Offfices of Medical universities for filling vacant seats in Private and Public Sector Medical colleges. The Council has commanded the authority to create a detailed analysis paper about medical colleges vacant seats issues. The analysis will be shared with Council Members within one week. The coucil will discuss the matter of admissions on vacant seats in Medical colleges with Provincial authorities and the final decision will be made with the consent of the Provincial authorities and council members. If you are interested for information about admissions on vacant seats, contact your respective Medical College Admission Section Office.
Decision on Scheduling of Admission Dates by National Admissions Scheduling Committee
Many colleges proposed a suggestion that there sholud be an Annual Admission Schedule like PMC Annual Exam Schedule. If it's done, It will be easy for all Medical and Dental colleges to admit the students and run the further admission process according to fixed dates mentioned in the Admission Schedule. This proposal was sent by Dr. Razi who is the president of PAMI. The proposal of Dr. Razi about Admission Schedule was added in the Meeting Minutes. The Medical & Dental Council discuss the proposal and constitute a National Admissions Scheduling Committee. The National Admissions Scheduling Committee will create an Admission Schedule and all the Medical and Dental colleges will be restricted to reschedule there admission processes according to dates mentioned in Admission Schedule. For this purpose, the Medical & Dental Council has made some changes in Medical and Dental Undergraduate Education Regulations 2021. These changes in regulations allow to fix a final date for admissions.
The National Admissions Scheduling Committee will design the Admission Schedule for Medical and Dental colleges on the basis of a fundamental principle. According to it, first of all admissions will be open for Public Sector Medical and Dental colleges. After the closing of admissions in Public Sector Medical and Dental universities, admissions will be opened in Private Medical and Dental colleges and students who can't secure there seat in Public Sector can get admission to Private Medical and Dental colleges. The National Admissions Scheduling Committee stated that after the completion of MBBS Admissions, BDS Admissions will be opened. The Admission Schedule for 2022 by National Admissions Scheduling Committee is sent to Pakistan Medical Commission.
Decision about Policy Regarding Dental Program Sharing of Facilities
Pakistan Medical Commission made an interim policy about the sharing of facilities between Medical and Dental colleges in the past. This policy included a mandate that all Medical and Dental colleges must share their facilities with each other for their official and educational purposes. These standards were set by PMC in a meeting of Medical & Dental Council members in 2021. The policy was also implemented in 2021. In 2022, there was a proposal by Dental colleges of Pakistan to withdraw the policy regarding Dental program sharing of facilities. The Dental colleges also cited high expenses related to implementation of infrastructure needed for the dental departments. The members of the Medical & Dental Council have considered this point and after much deliberation have decided not to share facilities between Medical and Dental colleges. Medical & Dental Council has said that sharing facilities may affect quality of education provided by both institutions. The council has directed PMC to withdraw the policy regarding Dental program sharing of facilities. The National Admissions Board has mapped out the "2022 Dental College Accreditation", using which the PMC has immediately withdrawn its policy of sharing facilities between Dental and Medical colleges and the policy has now become obsolete. This step is taken after considering opinions from several stakeholders including faculty, dental colleges administration, council members etc.
Decision on Closure of Muhammad Medical College Peshawar
Muhammad Medical College Peshawar admitted many students illegally in MBBS program. The college also demanded donations from students for admissions process and other educational purposes which is illegal. The Discipline Committee of Pakistan Medical Commission received many complaints about Muhammad Medical College Peshawar from students and parents. After a thorough investigation, the Discipline Committee recommended to the PMC to close Muhammad Medical College Peshawar. After confirming the allegations and complaints, the Medical & Dental Council in its 11th meeting decided the closure of Muhammad Medical College Peshawar and ordered PMC to take strict actions against Muhammad Medical College for taking donations from students. The students which are studying in Muhammad Medical College Peshawar will be admitted to other Medical universities. The Pakistan Medical Commission has sent a written appeal to Authority about the admissions of students of Muhammad Medical College Peshawar. The authority will create a plan for the replacement of students to other medical colleges. After the approval of plan by PMC, the students of Muhammad Medical College Peshawar will be admitted to other Medical colleges according to replacement plan.
Decision About Protest by Foreign Medical Graduates holding PMC Office as Hostage
The Foreign Medical Graduates appealed to PMC that NLE-2 exam should be cancelled and licence should be given to Foreign Medical Graduates after NLE-1 exam without taking NLE-2. Foreign medical graduates said that if PMC want to take NLE-2 exam, then PMC should take it from foreign medical graduates as well as Pakistani medical graduates. PMC argued that the NLE-2 exam is taken to check the practical approach of Foreign Medical Graduates. The Local Medical Graduates do a lot of practice in hospitals associated with there respective Medical universities as compared to Foreign Medical Graduates. After considering the bad results of Foreign Medical Graduates in previous NLE exams, the Medical and Dental coucil has decided not to cancel the NLE-2 exam. The Foreign Medical Graduates suggested PMC to lower the NLE-2 Passing Marks to 50% from 70%. PMC said that NLE-2 is a skill checking exam and by lowering the passing marks of NLE-2 exam, many untrained and non-experienced Medical graduates will get the licence which is tantamount to putting the lives of many patients at stake. So, Medical & Dental Council also declined the recommendation about lowering the NLE-2 passing marks.
PMC stated that all the demands of Foreign Medical Colleges are denied. After this, the Foreign Medical Graduates protested and took PMC office as hostage and created a lot of issues like medical emergency of an employee. The council has already issued notice and held talks with Foreign Medical Graduates outside PMC office. Pakistan Medical Commission condemns the protest and said that the NLE-2 exam helps in making transparent Medical education system. According to the PMC, past and present issues of foreign medical graduates have been resolved and if the foreign medical graduates do not agree with the decision of the council, they can exercise their legal right in court. Strict action will be taken against taking hostages. PMC assures that in future NLE-2 exam will be conducted with 70% passing marks and Foreign Medical Graduates cannot get there licence without passing NLE-2 exam. PMC hopes that these acts will not be repeated in future.
Download Official Decisions of 11th Meeting of Medical & Dental Council
The decisions made in 11th meeting of Medical & Dental Council are explained above and all these decisions are official. We have thrown light on the Medical & Dental Council 11th Meeting Decisions and illustrated all the decisions and clarified the background behind these decisions in common, simple and easy words. Pakistan Medical Commission also tweeted the decisions and uploaded the files of decision on its official website which assure that these decisions are real. Links to download the official statements of decisions made in Medical & Dental Council 11th Meeting are given below.
There is also a detailed video which will guide you all the details of decisions of Medical & Dental Council briefly and to the point. If you have any misunderstanding about the decisions made in 11th meeting of Medical & Dental Council, you must watch the video. You can understand all the decisions in an easy way. Watch video about Medical and Dental Council 11th Meeting Decisions on our YouTube Channel or watch it below.
Are Medical & Dental Council 11th Meeting Decisions in Students' Favour or Not?
The MDCAT candidates and students of Medical and Dental colleges of Sindh have welcomed decisions taken at Medical & Dental Council 11th Meeting. The addition of Provisional MDCAT committees and formation of MDCAT MCQs Bank is really a great step taken by PMC and this decision will facilitate the MDCAT students. The reduction in passing marks of MDCAT for BDS program will also lessen the issue of vacant seats in Medical colleges. The positive step of PMC towards the constitution of National Admissions Scheduling Board will make admission procedure easier and save time and money of students who appeared in MDCAT examination. PMC ensures that only institutes of good quality are allowed to admit students and serve as an important gate-keeping mechanism in reducing corruption in admission process. The NLE-2 exam provides us best doctors which is the success of Medical System of Pakistan. The meetings of Medical & Dental Council are very important for Medical because they provide useful information about changes in admission rules, infrastructure of medical colleges, standard of facilities etc. It's necessary to be updated with latest news related to admissions because every year number of seats reduces due to many reasons like reduction in quota, cancellation or merger of seats etc. Keep visiting for latest updates about medical admissions and other admissions related information.
