PMC announces MDCAT 2021 final result

• Students who attempted the MDCAT in 2020 can now apply to medical, dental colleges of their choice, according to PMC.
• Out of the 194,133 students who took the MDCAT exam, 68,680 students passed.
• The MDCAT was held for the first time not only in 25 centres in Pakistan, but six international centres in North America, Europe and the Middle East.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Medical Commission’s (PMC) National Medical Authority (NMA) on Saturday announced the final result of the MDCAT 2021 after the conclusion of the post-exam analysis held on the completion of the test.

Addressing a press conference, PMC President Dr Arshad Taqi said that a record number of 194,133 students gave the MDCAT exam from August 30, 2021 to October 2, 2021.

While sharing details of the final result, he said that out of the 194,133 students, 68,680 students passed the exam resulting in a national pass percentage of 35.4%.

He said that the post-exam analysis was carried out independently by Quaid-e-Azam University as per the request of Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan.

He underlined that the MDCAT was the single largest computer-based examination held in Pakistan to ensure that every student entering the field of medical study has the necessary aptitude, knowledge concepts and analytical skills required for the rigorous medical and dental training programmes.

The president said that the MDCAT, being a computer-based examination, was held per global best practices and a comprehensive data set is now available that was not possible with a pen and paper exam.

Taqi added that the MDCAT was held for the first time not only in 25 centres in Pakistan but six international centres in North America, Europe and the Middle East.

Sharing his thoughts on the student data now available and the post-exam analysis, PMC Vice President Ali Raza said: “The single computer-based national level MDCAT examination was a novel concept in Pakistan and critiqued by certain circles, however, we hope that the results speak for themselves and will finally put to bed the doubts and fears created by the few detractors who seek to remain rooted in the status quo."

He maintained that the introduction of a computer-based examination is a landmark in Pakistan’s effort to improve educational systems.

He added it was ensured that the entrance exam for the most competitive higher education programme in the country carries the seal of integrity and students of genuine merit can compete for entry into medical and dental programmes.

Raza said that any student can apply to PMC for a review where a student will be shown their wrongly answered questions on a computer terminal.

This facility is available for a fee and will further authenticate the MDCAT 2021 result and satisfy the students, he added.

The vice-president said that the MDCAT result is also available to the applicants to review on the website with the facility to download the result.

He added that students can now choose medical and dental colleges of their choice in Pakistan on the PMC website and the regulatory body will forward the final result to the institution of their choice.

According to the PMC code of conduct, the MDCAT result is valid for two years and the equivalence formula for the MDCAT 2020 result is now also available on the PMC website, he added.

Moreover, any student who attempted the MDCAT in 2020 can now apply to medical and dental colleges of their choice provided they meet the pass percentage of 65% as per the equivalence formula.