Vacant Seats in Medical Colleges Not Due to Fees or MDCAT: Health Minister

Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Mustafa Kamal informed the Standing Committee on NHSR&C that vacant seats in medical colleges were a significant concern, not solely due to fees or MDCAT eligibility. The committee was tasked with addressing these vacancies, examining fee disparities, and strengthening monitoring of medical education institutions.

They considered increasing public-sector seats, but noted the need for additional infrastructure, registration capacity, and physical space. The Ministry had also rescheduled the MDCAT 2026 exam and inspected private colleges with vacant seats, submitting a report on the reasons for these vacancies within one month. The Committee emphasized that any fee increase should be supported by clear criteria and credible evidence, and discussed the possibility of reducing the MDCAT eligibility threshold to broaden access.

They also reviewed the PNMC's inspections and the introduction of a digitalized application for inspectors.