The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday rejected the petition of students to postpone the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT 2020) scheduled for November 29 (Sunday).

Students had been demanding the authorities concerned to reschedule the test because of the growing number of coronavirus positive cases in the country. 

In its decision, the court stressed that students should strictly adhere to the government's coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the examination halls, stating that the test will be held per schedule.

Not only the students but politicians had also opposed the decision of the authorities to hold the test despite closing down all educational institutes in the country in the wake of the COVID-19 surge.

PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz severely criticised the decision and called for retracting the decision.

"While all educational institutions are closed and exams are being postponed, MDCAT students are being forced to appear for NMDCAT test by PMC. Isn't [the] safety of medical students & [the] safety of their families not as important? Why the discrimination? Why imperil them & their families?" Maryam Nawaz wrote on Twitter.

On the other hand, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan had said that holding the MDCAT is not harmful despite the surging number of coronavirus cases in the country.

"For those comparing MDCAT examination [one exam, of 2.5 hours] with the overall closure of the education sector, here is a graphic to put things in perspective!" Tweeted Dr Faisal. 

He added that no activity carries zero risks but clarified that during epidemics, risk mitigation — a strategy to prepare for and lessen the effects of threats — is done.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Medical Council issued a statement on Wednesday and announced that a special exam would be held on December 13 for students who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus