Despite an extension in admissions and a reduction in eligibility criteria, 743 MBBS and BDS seats remained vacant across Pakistan for the 2025-26 academic session, raising concerns about declining demand for medical and dental education.
Official data showed that more than 22,300 seats were available in 187 public and private medical and dental colleges nationwide. However, 743 seats remained unfilled even after the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PM&DC) lowered the minimum admission requirements.
Of the vacant seats, 608 were in BDS programs and 135 in MBBS programs, indicating a sharper decline in interest in dentistry. Punjab accounted for 381 vacant seats, followed by Sindh with 295, Islamabad with 50 and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 17.
The situation has also renewed concerns about the expansion of medical and dental colleges. According to PM&DC documents, the country faces a shortage of 3,872 faculty members, with 22,146 teachers available against a requirement of 26,018.
The council has recommended a three to five-year moratorium on the establishment of new medical and dental colleges and the expansion of existing seats, warning that further growth could worsen faculty shortages and affect educational standards.
Officials and experts attributed the vacant seats to high tuition fees, concerns over educational quality and changing perceptions about career prospects in the medical profession.