On a recent Tuesday, Islamabad witnessed a protest staged by a group of foreign graduates outside the headquarters of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC). The demonstration was fueled by their discontent with the scheduled date for the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) and the high passing percentage required.
The protesters voiced their concerns, arguing that no other country globally demands a passing percentage as steep as 70%. They questioned the rationale behind treating foreign graduates differently in this regard.
Adding weight to the protest, the parents of these students also participated in the demonstration. They expressed their worries about having poured their life savings into their children’s dreams of pursuing medical and dental education, only to see them facing hurdles in securing their licenses.
The students openly questioned the authority responsible for the decision to increase the passing marks for the admission test. They sought clarity on why such a high benchmark was set, which seemed to be an obstacle for many aspiring medical and dental students.
The protest gained considerable attention online, with the hashtag “DelayMDCAT2023” trending in Pakistan’s digital space. This came after the PMDC announced the date for the MDCAT examination.
The MDCAT is a crucial examination for students aiming to pursue medical and dental education. It serves as a gateway for admission into both public and private medical and dental colleges across the country. The recent protest highlights the growing concerns among foreign graduates about the fairness and accessibility of this critical examination.
