NA Health Committee Endorses MDCAT 2026 Results, Urges Universities to Begin Admissions

A committee of Pakistan's National Assembly has endorsed the results of the MDCAT 2026 medical entrance examination and asked universities to begin admissions promptly, aiming to spare students further uncertainty about their futures. The panel, chaired by Dr. Mahesh Kumar Malani, reviewed a series of complaints filed about the examination and the way it was conducted.

University vice-chancellors briefed the committee that no significant irregularities had undermined the credibility of the test. They said most of the complaints centered on question papers and answer keys rather than the conduct of the exam itself. Separately, a six-member team from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) examined the Sukkur IBA testing center and reported no serious issues there.

To strengthen transparency in future cycles, committee members recommended that students be provided with question papers after examinations are completed. The panel also turned its attention to private medical colleges accused of charging fees beyond approved limits. The PMDC confirmed it had issued show-cause notices to colleges over unauthorized charges, while lawmakers pressed for strict action against institutions collecting more than the permitted amounts and requested details of colleges authorized to charge higher fees.

The committee also called for an audit of Rs. 22 billion allocated to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) over the past three years. The demand followed a fire at the nursery of the hospital's Mother and Child Hospital. The health minister told members that the ministry had implemented the recommendations of the earlier inquiry report and had assigned a further inquiry to the Ministry of Interior.

Members additionally sought a progress report on the 400-bed Polyclinic Hospital project and agreed to invite the Federal Board of Revenue to discuss tax issues faced by doctors in private practice. The decisions reflect continued parliamentary scrutiny of medical education, hospital funding and healthcare costs, with the committee signaling that student admissions should proceed without delay.