The inquiry report into the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) 2023 paper leak in Sindh has been completed and action against culprits and conducting of examination again has been recommended.

As many as 40,000 students appeared in the MDCAT 2023 exam in Sindh.

The inquiry report was received by Sindh Interim Health Minister Saad Khalid Niaz on Wednesday, the health department spokesperson confirmed.

The inquiry panel headed by Special Secretary Health Sindh included Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi registrar; the additional secretary of the Sindh Universities & Boards Department; a deputy secretary of the Sindh government's Services Wing; a grade-18 official representing the cybercrime director of the Federal Investigation Agency; and the deputy secretary (technical) of the health department.

The report found that the paper leak was a "criminal act" and that the culprits should be brought to justice.

The inquiry team also recommended that the MDCAT 2023 exam be taken again to ensure that all students have a fair chance of admission to medical and dental colleges.

A summary of the inquiry team's recommendations has been sent to the Sindh cabinet for further action.

Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provincial cabinet decided that MDCAT 2023 exam will be conducted once again.

The decision was communicated to the Peshawar High Court (PHC).

The provincial cabinet reached a consensus that the MDCAT test should be reorganized within the next eight weeks.

The Educational Testing and Evaluation Agency (ETEA) KP identified 134 more suspicious students involved in the cheating scandal that took place during MDCAT 2023 in the province.

Notably, some 219 candidates including men and women were caught red-handed cheating using Bluetooth devices in previous exam held on September 10.

These candidates along with the alleged ringleader of the cheating racket and his brother are already behind the bars.

The papers of these candidates will also be presented in court.

According to the authority, they obtained rough work of 3,100 candidates who appeared in the MDCAT 2023 exam as the numerical questions could not be solved without it.

The ETEA said that it is taking the matter very seriously and that all those involved in the scandal will be brought to justice.