The Senate Sub-Committee on National Health Services has directed the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and the Secretary of Health to submit all documents and legal provisions allowing the Council to make MDCAT mandatory for students seeking medical education abroad.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Anusha Rehman at Parliament House, reviewed preparations for MDCAT 2026 and discussed concerns over the current admissions policy.
The committee examined a recent PMDC advertisement that requires students planning to enroll in foreign MBBS programs to take the MDCAT. Members questioned the legal basis of the decision and asked whether the Council had the authority to impose such a condition.
PMDC officials told the committee that the requirement was introduced to discourage students from taking admission in substandard foreign medical colleges. However, members questioned how MDCAT would stop students from joining such institutions and asked why the Council had not issued a list of foreign colleges that do not meet required standards.
The sub-committee suggested that PMDC should publish a list of below-standard foreign medical institutions instead of placing a general restriction on students planning to study abroad.
The meeting also took up concerns regarding the 50 percent weightage given to MDCAT in local medical admissions. Members observed that MDCAT is not taught as a separate subject by any educational institution, while A-Level students also face difficulties because the test is largely based on the intermediate curriculum.
The issue of vacant seats in medical and dental colleges was also discussed. Officials informed the committee that 743 seats were vacant, most of them in dental colleges. Members linked the situation to broader weaknesses in the current admissions framework.
The committee also discussed the cost difference between medical education in Pakistan and countries such as China, where medical education is reportedly available at nearly one-third of the cost. It further raised concerns over the lack of international recognition of Pakistan’s dentistry qualifications in some countries and stressed the need for better standardization.
Officials also briefed the sub-committee on the collection, use, and audit mechanism of MDCAT examination fees.
Senator Anusha Rehman directed that a public hearing be held on the matter. Students affected by MDCAT-related issues, medical practitioners, and vice chancellors of medical universities will be invited to share their views and help develop policy and legislative reforms.
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