Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University
 | |
| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Established | 2013 |
| Chancellor | President of Pakistan |
| Vice-Chancellor | Prof. Dr. Tanwir Khaliq |
| Location | , |
| Nickname | SZABMU |
| Affiliations | Higher Education Commission (Pakistan), Pakistan Medical Commission, College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan |
| Website | szabmu |
The Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU) is a public university in Islamabad, Pakistan. Established on 21 March 2013,[1] it offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses of medicine, surgery, dentistry, basic medical sciences and allied health professions.[2]
MDCAT 2024 CONTROVERSIES:
[edit]The MDCAT 2024 exam, conducted by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU), has faced intense criticism and sparked protests across Pakistan due to multiple administrative blunders. The examination, which saw participation from over 22,000 students, was marred by a series of issues that have led to widespread demands for a reconduction of the test.
One of the major problems was the shuffling of MCQs within the same-colored question booklets. Rather than just rearranging the questions, some of the MCQs were incorrectly altered, with different statements and answers across the same booklet versions, leading to significant confusion. On top of this, over 25 MCQs were reported to have errors in either their formulation or answer keys, making it impossible for students to fairly assess their performance.
In response to these issues, students, parents, and teachers have banded together to demand justice. Many students, particularly those whose future careers hinge on their MDCAT performance, have taken to the streets and social media to protest the mismanagement. Among them, Hania and several others have led a determined legal struggle, seeking to challenge the examination process in court. Unfortunately, they faced setbacks when judges allegedly did not fully consider the students' grievances, further aggravating the situation (The NATION).
Social media platforms have become crucial in organizing the protests and spreading awareness. Channels like English Keys Academy on YouTube have played an instrumental role in raising the students' voices, providing in-depth analyses of the errors in the exam, and mobilizing support. These platforms have served as a space where students can discuss their legal rights and strategies to push for accountability from SZABMU and the Higher Education Commission (HEC), which has also been criticized for its involvement in exam preparation.
Parents and students have reported that their grievances regarding exam mismanagement were met with indifference or outright dismissal by university officials. During the protests that followed the exam, the administration, instead of addressing these concerns, appeared unresponsive. Students and parents claim that university authorities treated them poorly, showing a lack of empathy when discussing issues such as the errors in the question paper, faulty MCQs, and the mishandling of exam logistics. This caused further distress, especially when parents sought accountability on behalf of their children, only to be met with unsatisfactory responses.
In previous MDCAT exams, SZABMU has granted students up to five grace marks after being inundated with complaints about out-of-syllabus questions, incorrect answer keys, and errors in the question paper. While this may seem like a concession, students feel that these grace marks are merely a superficial solution and fail to account for the deeper inequities in the testing process. The recurrence of the same mistakes every year suggests a lack of accountability and proper oversight in the exam preparation process.
One of the major issues students have raised is the difficulty disparity between the MDCAT conducted by SZABMU and that administered in other regions of Pakistan. For instance, students have reported that the MDCAT 2024 was particularly challenging compared to exams conducted by the University of Health Sciences (UHS) in Punjab. The uneven difficulty levels across provinces further disadvantage students from certain regions, making the competition for medical and dental college seats even more unfair. Students argue that these differences put them at a disadvantage, making the playing field uneven across the country.
Furthermore, despite the repeated errors, SZABMU has been reluctant to reconduct the exam, which has only fueled student frustration. While grace marks are offered, students feel that this is an insufficient remedy for the harm caused by faulty questions and inconsistent exam administration. Additionally, the granting of grace marks does little to solve the emotional and psychological distress caused by such blunders.
As the protests continue, students and their supporters are demanding that the only fair solution is the reconduction of the exam. They argue that the errors in the original test are too significant to ignore, and that a new exam is necessary to ensure justice for all those affected. Despite the challenges, the movement shows no signs of slowing down as more students rally behind the call for a transparent, error-free MDCAT.
Constituent Institutions
[edit]- Federal Medical College (Offers MBBS)[2]
- School of Dentistry (Offers BDS)[2]
- PIMS School of Nursing (offers BSN)
- PIMS College of Nursing (offers BSN and speciality courses)
- PIMS College of Medical Technology (offers HSSC & BS in various Medical Courses)
Affiliated Institutions
[edit]- Rawal Institute of Health Sciences
- Yusra Medical and Dental College
- HBS Medical and Dental College
- Islamabad Medical and Dental College
- Bashir Institute of Health Science
- Prime Institute of Health Sciences
- Islamabad Institute of Health Sciences
- Institute of Health and Management Sciences
References
[edit]- ^ "An act passed by the National Assembly of Pakistan to establish Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University Islamabad" (PDF). The Gazette of Pakistan, National Assembly Secretariat website. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
- ^ a b c Ikram Junaidi (4 November 2019). "(Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University) SZABMU gets permanent vice chancellor". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 5 August 2021.
