Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has demanded an audit of the Rs. 1.26 billion collected by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) for MDCAT 2026, raising concerns over alleged irregularities and a lack of transparency in the examination process.
In a letter to PMDC President Prof. Dr. Rizwan Taj, JI Karachi chief Monem Zafar called for an independent investigation into the examination held on September 20, including paper preparation, distribution, answer keys, and possible result tampering.
He also demanded that question papers be provided to candidates for self-assessment and that the top 100 candidates be retested by an independent third party.
According to the letter, 138,158 candidates registered for MDCAT 2026 nationwide, including 33,336 from Sindh and 9,505 from Karachi. The registration fee was Rs. 9,000, while late applicants were charged Rs. 13,000.
Zafar questioned the use of the approximately Rs. 1.26 billion collected in examination fees and demanded that the PMDC publish a complete breakdown of the expenses.
He also criticized the examination arrangements in Karachi, where only two centers were established for 9,505 candidates, both on University Road. The location caused difficulties for students and parents due to ongoing construction of the BRT Red Line project and heavy traffic congestion.
In comparison, Peshawar had 19 examination centers for 16,722 candidates, while Lahore had six centers for 12,064 candidates. Zafar urged the PMDC to increase the number of centers in Karachi based on student numbers and the city’s geographical spread.
The JI leader also questioned the decision to assign MDCAT arrangements in Sindh to IBA Sukkur, citing previous complaints regarding the institution’s role in examinations conducted under the Sindh government.
He further raised concerns over instructions issued just 10 days before the examination requiring candidates to return their question papers, a change from previous practice. Complaints were also reported regarding answer keys for Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, particularly Paper Codes A and D.
The letter also highlighted poor facilities and long waiting hours at examination centers. Students were instructed to report at 6:30 a.m., but the three-hour examination began at 10 a.m. at some centers and 10:30 a.m. at others.
As a result, candidates reportedly spent seven to eight hours at examination centers in temperatures ranging from 40°C to 43°C. Some were seated under cloth marquees with limited facilities and inadequate fans.
Zafar described the conditions as unacceptable and called for greater transparency, improved examination arrangements, and a fair review of the reported irregularities.
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