ISLAMABAD: Several seats in medical and dental colleges remain unfilled because of the tough admission criteria of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council. Aamir Waliuddin, chairman of the Senate standing committee on health revealed this development today.
He said that several medical college seats in Sindh and Punjab remain unfilled due to the stringent admission criteria of the PMDC.
Addressing a committee meeting, Waliuddin said high weightage requirements had prevented many eligible candidates from securing admission. Consequently, institutions in both provinces have struggled to fill available seats for the current academic session.
He also noted that a government-appointed special committee had fixed the annual fee for medical colleges at Rs1.8 million. However, he pointed out that some private institutions continue to charge up to Rs3 million, exceeding the prescribed limit. Therefore, he urged the PMDC to take notice of what he described as excessive and unjustified fee structures.
Calls for MDCAT Reform Intensify
During the session, Senator Anusha Rahman called for a supplementary examination for students who failed the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT). She argued that it is unfair for students to lose an entire academic year over a marginal shortfall, even by a single mark.
In response, Waliuddin suggested lowering the MDCAT passing threshold to 33 percent to ease pressure on applicants and fill vacant seats. Meanwhile, Senator Mustafa Kamal recommended that the committee formally direct the PMDC to review the existing passing criteria and submit a comprehensive report.
The committee further highlighted that more than 22,000 students fail to secure admission each year despite strong demand for medical education. Members described the situation as alarming and stressed the need for immediate policy intervention to ensure transparency, affordability, and broader access to medical studies.
