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A number of controversies later, the PakistanMedicalandDental Council (PMDC) has changed the patter of the National Examination Board (NEB) and has decided the exam will only contain multiple choice questions (MCQs). The PMDC requires graduates of foreign universities to sit the NEB, which was first started after complaints that students who have studled in languages other than English face problems when treating patients in addition to complaints about the quality of education. Through an act of parliament on 2012, it was made mandatory for foreign graduates to sit the NEB though those who have certain postgraduate qualifications including a diploma from the American Board, the UK`s FRCS or equivalent qualifications are exempt from the exam. During the last four years, foreign graduates have protested against the council a number of times and allegedthat PMDC was involved in corruption and nepotism during the NEB exams. The PMDC`s new management committee in Jan 2016 decided to take up the issue and formed a three member committee to streamline the exam, a new format for which has now been made. PMDC President Dr Shabir Lehri told Dawn that the same syllabus, subjects and content will be used for the exams. `However, in the past not more than 15 topics could be covered because the exam consisted of 15 theoretical questions. Now, the exam will contain 150 MCQs which will cover the entire syllabus. A similar pattern is used in the US,` he said. Dr Lehri said that around 2,500 candidates appear in the exam and that junior teachers also marked the tests. `Only professors will be marking the exam,` he said. MCQs will be asked in the first two steps and the third step will be a practical exam, Dr Lehri said. A Reporter |
