The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) was established to uphold merit, regulate medical education standards, and ensure fairness in the admission process. Today, however, it appears to be functioning more like a revenue-generating corporation than a guardian of equal opportunity.
The 80% increase in the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) fee over just two years is not merely an adjustment for inflation — it is a financial blockade against thousands of aspiring doctors from low- and middle-income families. With regular fees now set at PKR 9,000 (and PKR 13,000 with late registration) and international fees soaring to PKR 45,000–55,000, this is no longer an “admission test” — it is a pay-to-play gatekeeping mechanism.
PMDC’s earnings from MDCAT run into the billions. Last year alone, with 32,977 candidates appearing, the council likely collected over PKR 2.3 billion in fees. This year, projected revenue could approach PKR 3 billion. Yet what do students get in return for this massive cash inflow? No transparent breakdown of spending, no improvements in facilities, and a shameful record of neglect at exam centers.
The past few MDCAT sessions have seen distressing reports of students fainting in scorching heat, and in some tragic cases, losing their lives due to heatstroke and the absence of basic first aid. Despite repeated incidents, PMDC has failed to ensure adequate arrangements such as shaded waiting areas, cold drinking water, or on-site medical teams — bare minimum measures that could save lives.
This raises a painful question: If billions are being collected, why can’t a fraction of this amount be invested in candidates’ safety and comfort?
Pakistan is already struggling with one of the lowest doctor-to-patient ratios in the region. By pricing the MDCAT out of reach for thousands of talented students from underprivileged backgrounds, PMDC is ensuring that future healthcare will be dominated by the financially privileged. This is not just an education issue — it is a public health emergency in the making.
The message this policy sends is chilling: if you are poor, your dream of becoming a doctor is not valid. In a country where poverty and inflation are already strangling opportunity, PMDC’s fee hike is a cruel blow to meritocracy.
We call upon the Government of Pakistan, the Ministry of Health, and Parliament’s Standing Committees on Health and Education to:
- Freeze MDCAT fees at an affordable rate until a transparent cost justification is presented.
- Audit PMDC’s finances to determine how exam revenue is being spent.
- Mandate candidate safety protocols — including shaded seating, cold water, and medical aid — at all centers.
- Consider subsidizing entrance exams for students from low-income families.
Medical education should be about merit, dedication, and service to humanity, not about who can afford the ticket to sit in the exam hall. PMDC’s role must shift back from minting money to making doctors — for the sake of Pakistan’s future health.
This Editorial has been written by Akhtar Shaheen Rind.
