KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has raised the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) fee to unprecedented levels — an 80% increase over just two years — prompting a nationwide backlash from students, parents, and education advocates who say the move will exclude thousands of deserving candidates, particularly from low- and middle-income backgrounds.
In 2023, the MDCAT fee stood at PKR 5,000. It was increased to PKR 7,000 in 2024, and this year, PMDC has set it at PKR 9,000 for regular registration and PKR 13,000 with late fees. For overseas centers such as Riyadh, the fee is PKR 45,000 (late: PKR 55,000). All payments are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Billions in Revenue, Minimal Student Support
Last year, with 32,977 candidates sitting the exam, PMDC is estimated to have earned over PKR 2.3 billion from registration fees alone. This year, the projected earnings are even higher — around PKR 2.96 billion. Yet, candidates and education observers report that the facilities provided during the exam are minimal or non-existent.
In previous MDCAT sessions, multiple reports emerged of students fainting or even dying during the test due to extreme heat and lack of first aid arrangements. In one tragic case, students alleged that no immediate medical help was available at the exam center, raising serious questions about PMDC’s preparedness and use of funds.
Inflation and Poverty – A Barrier to Dreams
With Pakistan’s inflation rate at record highs, widespread unemployment, and falling per capita income, education advocates warn that such a hefty exam fee effectively creates a financial barrier to entering the medical profession. Many students from rural districts and low-income urban areas may abandon their dream of becoming doctors simply because they cannot afford the entrance test.
“This is not just a fee hike — it’s the privatization of opportunity,” said one education rights activist. “PMDC is supposed to regulate standards and ensure access, but it has become a revenue-collection machine, detached from the financial realities of most Pakistani families.”
The Examination Framework
The MDCAT 2025 will be held on Sunday, October 5, in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia simultaneously. It will be conducted by five designated universities:
- Punjab – University of Health Sciences, Lahore
- Sindh – Sukkur IBA University
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Khyber Medical University, Peshawar
- Balochistan – Bolan Medical University, Quetta
- Federal, AJK, GB & Overseas (Riyadh) – Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad
Centers will operate in major cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Muzaffarabad, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Multan, Faisalabad, Swat, Abbottabad, Gilgit, and Riyadh. Registration opens August 8 and closes August 25, with late registration until September 1.
The English-language test will consist of 180 multiple-choice questions covering Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English, and Logical Reasoning, with 15% easy, 70% moderate, and 15% difficult questions. There will be no negative marking.
Long-Term Consequences
Experts caution that restricting entry into medical education to those who can afford hefty fees could worsen Pakistan’s doctor shortage in the coming decade, particularly in rural and underserved areas where healthcare delivery is already under severe strain.
“This is how you create a healthcare system dominated by the elite,” one health policy analyst said. “When only the wealthy can afford to enter medical school, the public health crisis will deepen, especially for the poor.”
A Call for Accountability
Students, parents, and civil society groups are calling on PMDC to justify its fee structure, disclose where the collected funds are spent, and ensure exam safety and basic facilities, including water, shade, and emergency medical care at all centers. They argue that an entrance test should measure merit, not family income, and that the current policy risks turning Pakistan’s medical profession into an exclusive club for the privileged.
