Islamabad – A subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services has called for a comprehensive review of the current policy framework governing medical admissions, fee transparency, and the arrangements for MDCAT 2026. The committee expressed serious concerns over existing policies and emphasized that unilateral decisions made without stakeholder consultation are creating uncertainty and frustration among students.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Anusha Rahman at Parliament House Islamabad, was attended by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri and Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani via Zoom. The committee stressed the need for broader consultation in policy-making related to medical education.
The subcommittee took strong notice of a recent advertisement issued by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) making MDCAT mandatory for students seeking admission to MBBS programs abroad. Senator Anusha Rahman directed the Ministry of Health and PMDC to provide all legal documents and regulations that form the basis of imposing this requirement on students pursuing medical education overseas.
PMDC officials stated that the measure was intended to discourage students from enrolling in substandard foreign medical institutions. However, committee members questioned how a single test could effectively address the issue of low-quality institutions and asked why a blacklist of substandard foreign medical colleges had not been published to guide students and parents.
The committee was informed that 743 seats currently remain vacant in medical and dental colleges across the country, which members described as evidence of shortcomings in the existing policy framework. Concerns were also raised regarding A-Level students, who face difficulties because the MDCAT syllabus is primarily aligned with the Intermediate curriculum. The committee further noted that medical education in Pakistan has become significantly more expensive compared to countries such as China.
Officials informed the committee that most of the vacant seats are in dental colleges. Members expressed concern over the limited international recognition of Pakistani dental degrees and stressed the need to improve educational standards and global acceptability.
The subcommittee also reviewed PMDC’s examination fee collection and audit procedures, observing that certain regulatory measures may be creating unnecessary difficulties for students. To address longstanding issues and promote greater transparency and uniformity in the medical admissions system, Senator Anusha Rahman directed that a public hearing be held. Students affected by MDCAT, medical education experts, and vice chancellors of medical universities will be invited to participate in the hearing to help formulate consensus-based and effective legislative recommendations.