ISLAMABAD: The National University of Medical Sciences (Nums) on Sunday conducted the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

Around 70,000 candidates took the test, which is mandatory, to get admissions to medical and dental colleges.

Nums Vice Chancellor (VC) Lt Gen Wasim Alamgir said the test was conducted simultaneously in more than 20 cities throughout Pakistan and in Saudi Arabia and UAE. He said this was made possible with the well-coordinated and robust arrangements.

He said the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) had divided MDCAT among the federation, provinces and for Nums to fill the seats in medical and dental colleges across the country.

PMC President Prof Dr Noshad Ahmad Shaikh reached Nums on Sunday and visited the control room where he was given a briefing by ControllerExamination retired Brig Saifullah Butt on the arrangements for safe and transparent process.

Talking to journalists, Prof Dr Noshad Ahmad Shaikh appreciated the arrangements and said those students who would have the Nums MDCAT pass certificate would be eligible to seek admission on merit in MBBS/BDS in private colleges anywhere in the country as well.

These students can also take MDCAT which was being conducted by the PMC on Nov 13, he added.

Later, the PMC president along with vice chancellor, Pro VC academics and Pro VC administration also visited the Nums examination centre in Rawalpindi and witnessed the students taking their test.

In his comments, Pro VC Administration retired Maj Gen Syed Ammar Reza Hamdani said two officers ofthe university were specially sent to Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) and UAE (Ras Al Khaimah) to supervise the MDCAT while embassies of Pakistan in the two countries facilitated the test.

MDCAT for Nums is being held for admission to its medical and dental colleges. Students seeking admission to these colleges are no longer required to sit any other test as per the decision of the PMC last month.

The nomenclature of the Nums Entry Test (NET) has been changed to MDCAT for Nums 2022.

All MBBS/BDScandidates with Pakistani nationalitywill have to secure 55pc and 45pc passing marks in MBBS and BDS respectively to be successful in the test and to compete for 2,075 seats. Of all the contesting candidates, 46,582girls and 23,641 boys had applied for the Nums MDCAT.

Nums Pro Vice Chancellor Academics retired Maj Gen Saleem Ahmed Khan and Pro VC Administration retired Maj Gen Syed Ammar Reza Hamdani also separately visited some examination centres in the twin cities.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Butt said dedicated teams and trained invigilation staff were deployedforsupervisingthe test.

The result of MDCAT for Nums is expected to be announced within two to three weeks, the registrar said.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2022