ISLAMABAD - The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on National Health Services (NHS) on Wednesday recommended blacklisting the company that conducted the MDCAT.
The meeting of the NA committee on health was held here under the chairmanship of Member National Assembly (MNA) Khalid Hussain Magsi.
It was attended by the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on NHS Dr. Faisal Sultan and senior officials of the ministry.
The meeting while discussing the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) related MDCAT and National Licensing Exam (NLE) issue expressed concerns on the private company that conducted the test.
Additional Secretary NHS Nabeel Awan informed the committee that the PMC has now tightened merit while when seats are increased at the behest of a minister, they create issues for other students.
“If FATA has 10 seats and is asked to make thirteen, then 13 children of Punjab will lose seats,” he said.
The Committee was informed that out of 196,000 students, 68,000 pass MDCAT, however, 20,000 seats are available in private and public medical colleges.
During the committee meeting, students also expressed their concerns against NLE stating that they were inducted by PMDC before the PMC was formed and now are being told to take the exam again after MBBS.
SAPM Dr. Faisal Sultan remarked that students’ case is in court meanwhile 10,000 students have registered for NLE and let there be trust in the society that is building trust in NLEs. MNA Mohsin Dawar said that taking NLE after all exams is mistrust on examination system while this is a weak position that exam should not be taken from one group and taken from the rest. Dr. Faisal Sultan said that a system is being introduced that will not allow NLE mafia to be active and one who has passed the exams for five years will pass it easily.
He said that the purpose is not to put in various exams but security check, while only those who have run a hospital for five years will be able to get a medical college license.
The Committee was of the view that the irregularities were reported in MDCAT conducted by the firm who had no past experience in conducting the test.
It recommended that said firm should be blacklisted and PMC should reconduct the test of MDCAT through renowned universities.
The Committee considered “The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2020” in detail. It was informed that the said bill was referred by the Senate and after completing the 90 days period, the Bill was lapsed and now it was considered in the Joint Sitting of the Parliament.
The Committee deferred “The Islamabad Injured Persons Compulsory Treatment Bill, 2021” and matter regarding problems of medical students of erstwhile FATA for admission in medical colleges due to the absence of their movers. 
The committee also deferred “The Drug Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2021” due to absence of the mover.