KARACHI: Close to 40,000 male and female candidates took the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) conducted by the Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU) on Sunday for 1,700 open merit seats. The test was held at five examination centres in Karachi, Hyderabad, Nawabshah and Larkana.

The answer sheets were sealed and secured after the exam and are be opened on Monday by the officials appointed by the university.

The answer key will be uploaded on Sunday night and the results of the test will be announced within a week, according to a press release.

Around 10,000 candidates (over 7,000 female and nearly 2,800 male) took the exam at the Karachi University centre while over 5,000 other candidates (around 3,700 female and 1,400 male) appeared in the test at the Dow University’s Ojha campus.

JSMU conducts the test for 1,700 open merit seats; more than 23,500 of total candidates are female

According to the JSMU press release, more than 13,000 candidates (around 7,000 female and 6,000 male) took the test at the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Hyderabad.

At the Nawabshah centre set up in the Bilawal Sports Complex, over 2,000 female and 1,500 male candidates appeared in the test. Over 4,000 female and as many male candidates took the test at the Larkana centre set up in city’s Police Training School.

JSMU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Amjad Siraj Memon supervised the examination process at the University of Karachi whereas the varsity’s registrar Dr Azam Khan performed this duty at the Dow University.

Arrangements for candidates

\Help desks, medical camps and lost & found counters were set up at all five centres for the convenience of the candidates. During the exam, candidates were provided with water bottles, biscuits, juices and candies.

VC Prof Memon thanked his counterparts at the University of Karachi Dr Khalid Iraqi, Dow University Prof Dr Saeed Qureshi, LUMHS Prof Dr Ikram Uddin, Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences Prof Dr Gulshan Ali Memon and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University Prof Dr Nusrat Shah for their cooperation in the peaceful conduct of the MDCAT in Sindh.

Security arrangements

Officers and personnel of police, traffic police and Rangers were deployed to prevent any kind of disorder at the examination centres.

Spaces in wedding halls close to the centres were arranged by JSMU to facilitate stay of the parents and other people who accompanied the candidates during the course of the test.

According to the JSMU release, three candidates were caught cheating during the test at the Dow University centre (Karachi), two in Hyderabad and one in Larkana.

Their papers were immediately canceled and they were expelled from the centres, it said.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2023