Health minister’s remarks on vacant medical college seats raise eyebrows
ISLAMABAD: While efforts are underway to reduce the passing marks for the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) to fill vacant seats in colleges, Health Minister Mustafa Kamal on Monday highlighted a different aspect of the issue, which is directly related to the quality of education. “Medical and dental colleges that charge Rs3.5 million in annual fees do not have a single vacant…
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal discussed the issue of vacant seats in medical and dental colleges during a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Health. He pointed out that colleges charging higher fees, such as Rs3.5 million annually, have no vacant seats, while those charging Rs1.8 million have vacated spots.
The committee debated the possibility of further reducing the MDCAT passing marks, which are currently at 50%, to increase access. The Health Minister acknowledged the problem of vacant seats, questioning why high-fee colleges do not have any. The committee also directed the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to investigate the reasons for the vacancies and submit a report within a month.
They emphasized the need for regular inspections and appropriate regulatory action against institutions failing to maintain standards or having significant vacant seats. The proposal to extend the BDS program from four to five years was also touched upon. The PMDC informed the committee about the rescheduling of the MDCAT 2026 examination to ensure a transparent and secure process.
A ceremony was held for signing an MoU between the Sheikh Zayed Institute and ChildLife Foundation to establish a modern Children’s Emergency Unit at Sheikh Zayed Hospital Lahore.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
