PHC dispose of writ pleas after MDCAT retest decision

Humayun Khan
PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court (PHC) has dispose-of writ petitions regarding malpractices during Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) after reexamination scheduled by the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while detailed judgement will be issued later, on Tuesday.
PHC’s divisional bench comprised Justice Abdul Shakoor and Justice Syed Arshad Ali heard petitioners on MDCAT exam while Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Amir Javed, Khyber Medical University lawyer Abdul Mounem Khan, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) lawyer and counsel for petitioner Yasir Khattak as well as parents were present before court during hearing.
Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa informed that the provincial cabinet had approved reexamination of MDCAT after the identification of malpractices in the test. He added that reexamination is upheld with KMU for discussion and arrangement.
The joint investigation team constituted by Additional Chief Secretary Home had provided several suggestions to stop such practices in future, advocate general argued. He added that government decided reexam while assured that stern action would be taken against culprits involved in the malpractices.
In the meantime, KMU’s lawyer informed that the varsity had jurisdiction to conduct MDCAT under law while formally PDMC ask in written in this regard. He added that it is written clearly in PDMC Act.
However, PMDC’s counsel opposed retest of MDCAT as it can’t be rearranged. The counsel for petitioners argued that retest will suffer intelligent students who secured high score in MDCAT as well as in BISE exams and requested for framework in this regard.
However, the parents argued that they are belonging to deprived segments and requested to take actions against culprits involved in the malpractices rather than cancelling whole MDCAT test. The lawyers argued that earlier unfair means were identified during exams and actions were taken only against the culprits neither examinations were cancelled.
Justice Syed Arshad Ali remarked that KMU and PMDC had shown an unprofessional attitude in MDCAT. He observed that if KMU and PMDC seeking involved in other inquiries why shouldn’t initiate its own inquiry regarding malpractices in MDCAT.
PMDC’s lawyer argued that on 25th September Vice Chancellor Meeting had declared MDCAT test as appropriate while suggested stern actions against culprits involved in malpractices. In the meantime, Justice Arshad inquired why KMU and PMDC didn’t initiate inquiry while writing for representation in JIT. PHC’s divisional bench comprised of Justice Abdul Shakoor and Justice Syed Arshad Ali dispose-off writ petitions regarding MDCAT after retest approved by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet while detail judgement would be issued in this regard.