As the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi declined to conduct the MDCAT 2024 retest, authorities have decided that alternative arrangements will be made for fresh tests.
The Chief Minister, Murad Ali Shah, chaired a meeting of the Sindh Cabinet, where it was decided that IBA Sukkur will conduct the MDCAT 2024 test.
The decision follows concerns over transparency and previous issues with test paper leaks, which had reached the Sindh High Court.
During the meeting, it was briefed that the MDCAT test has been conducted since 2017-18 in major cities including Karachi, Hyderabad, and Larkana, and faced scrutiny when 160 out of 200 test questions allegedly leaked on social media, raising questions about the integrity of the process.
The Chief Minister emphasized the importance of fairness, stating that paper leaks not only damage the reputation of educational institutions but also jeopardize the future of the students.
The meeting was told that IBA Sukkur will manage the test across Sindh within six weeks, with CM Sindh approving Rs 232.1 million to fund the process.
Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court petition sought cancellation of the recently conducted MDCAT 2024 test and called for a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe the incident.
READ: MDCAT 2024: FIA summon students secured ‘practically impossible’ marks
Last week, IBA Karachi declined to conduct the test due to limited resources and lack of expertise, following the SHC directives.
IBA Karachi’s Acting Executive Director, Dr Shakeel Ahmed Khoja, explained that its Board of Governors established in 2002 that the institute would not act as a third-party testing agency without required expertise.
On the other hand, IBA Sukkur has independently agreed to conduct the MDCAT.
However, concerns over testing consistency arise, as the two universities operate under different legislation – the Sukkur IBA University Act, 2017, whereas the 1994 Act governs IBA Karachi – which could lead to discrepancies in test quality and grading.
READ: MDCAT 2024: FIA summon students secured ‘practically impossible’ marks
In a recent meeting with Health Secretary Rehan Baloch, IBA Karachi officials maintained their stance, while IBA Sukkur expressed readiness to proceed with the MDCAT test.
The IBA Karachi has recommended that an exercise of this scale be delegated to one party, and since the Sukkur IBA has volunteered for this task, it should be assigned to the IBA Sukkur, while IBA Karachi has extended logistical support to IBA Sukkur.
