DNA

ISLAMABAD: Taking into account the COVID-19 pandemic and interruptions in the academic year, the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) has announced steps to facilitate FSc (Pre-medical) and A2 Cambridge students in the admission of public and private medical and dental colleges of Pakistan.

According to PMC, as per the PMC Undergraduate Education (Admissions, Curriculum and Conduct) Regulations 2021, all students who wish to seek admission in medical and dental colleges can take the MDCAT examination even if they have not yet taken their FSc pre-medical or A-Level examination.

It said that due to disruptions faced by education systems in Pakistan and around the world due to the pandemic, all relevant authorities have put in place special provisions to cater the affected students during the medical and dental college admission processes.

MDCAT exam will be conducted from 30th August to 30th September 2021. All students who are taking their A-Level examination in October 2021 can take the MDCAT in September 2021 while applying for admissions to medical colleges before taking their examinations.

As per the admission regulations of PMC, the admissions are to be finalized by January 15, 2022. However, to accommodate the students taking their A-level examination in October 2021 with expected results in January 2022, every medical and dental college will be directed not to finalize the admissions on the seats equal to the number of A-level students who have applied to said colleges and awaiting their results.

For this purpose, PMC will permit medical and dental colleges to finalize admissions for those A-levels students on the special category seats by February 10, 2022.

This year’s elective subject results will be utilized for merit as the FSc examinations are being held for elective subjects only. Additionally, PMC will be outlining a policy on the same premise for private medical and dental college admissions shortly.

A joint meeting was also held in this regard under the co-chair of Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr. Faisal Sultan to discuss the admissions of FSc. (Pre-medical) and A2 Cambridge students in public and private medical and dental colleges of Pakistan.