The first batch of 25 international students graduated from Dow International Medical College on Thursday evening. Surrounded by their professors and the vice-chancellor, the students took the Hippocratic oath during the ceremony organized at the Governor’s House. PHOTO COURTESY: ARIF HUSSAIN
LAHORE:
An unusual drop in admissions to private medical and dental colleges has highlighted a growing affordability crisis in the country, prompting the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to allow a one-time merit relaxation to fill dozens of vacant seats.
According to a notification, the minimum merit for MBBS admissions has been reduced from 55 per cent to 52 per cent, while for BDS programs it has been lowered from 50 per cent to 47 per cent. The decision will only apply to unfilled seats and will not become a permanent policy.
The move comes after several private colleges, especially in Lahore and other major urban centers, failed to fill their allotted seats despite the closure of regular admission cycles.
Education sector sources revealed that institutions were struggling to attract students, mainly due to high tuition fees, which put medical education out of reach for many middle-income families.
A PMDC official, requesting anonymity, said the regulator was left with limited options as the situation was likely to result in financial strain on institutions and reduce opportunities for aspiring doctors. “This is not a matter of lowering standards permanently, but of a one-off, targeted adjustment aimed at ensuring that available places are not wasted while maintaining a reasonable academic threshold,” the official explained.
Surveys suggest that the cost of pursuing an MBBS degree from private colleges has increased significantly in recent years. Annual fees running into millions of rupees, combined with additional expenses, have discouraged even academically eligible candidates from applying.
Education analysts say the issue is less about merit and more about affordability.
A senior official of the Punjab Higher Education Department said the development reflects a deeper imbalance in the system. “We see a clear mismatch between supply and affordability. Private colleges have capacity but students cannot afford tuition fees. This has forced the regulator to intervene but long-term solutions will require rationalization of fees,” the official said.
The PMDC has made it clear that the merit relaxation will be implemented only after exhausting the existing pool of eligible candidates. Colleges will not be allowed to bypass standard procedures and all admissions must always be done strictly on merit and in a transparent manner.
In its directive, the council also advised private medical and dental colleges to review their fee structures and consider reductions to make education more accessible. The regulator warned that the entire admission process would remain under strict supervision to avoid any abuse of the relaxation.
Stakeholders say the decision highlights growing concerns about the commercialization of medical education. In recent years, rising operating costs and growing demand for quality institutions have driven up tuition fees, but critics say a lack of effective regulation has allowed prices to rise unchecked.
Parents and students expressed mixed reactions. While some see merit reduction as a welcome opportunity for those who narrowly missed the previous threshold, others fear it could impact the quality of future healthcare professionals if not managed carefully.
The Punjab Specialized Department of Healthcare and Medical Education has sent a letter to the PMDC Chairman regarding the 3% reduction in MDCAT cutoff.
The PMDC notification was scrutinized by the provincial admissions committee, which expressed reservations over the reduction in merit percentage for admission to MBBS and BDS.
