743 Medical and Dental College Seats Remain Vacant Despite Relaxed Merit Criteria

ISLAMABAD: A total of 743 seats in medical and dental colleges across Pakistan remained vacant for the 2025–26 academic session despite a relaxation in merit requirements and a 45-day extension in the admission process, highlighting declining student interest in local medical education.

According to available data, Pakistan’s 187 medical and dental colleges offer more than 22,300 seats. However, admissions could not be completed for all available places even after lowering eligibility thresholds.

Of the 743 vacant seats, 608 were in Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programs, while 135 seats remained unfilled in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programs.

Provincially, the highest number of vacant seats was reported in Punjab with 381, followed by Sindh with 295, Islamabad with 50, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 17.

To facilitate admissions, the minimum merit requirement for MBBS programs was reduced from 55 percent to 52 percent, while the BDS merit threshold was lowered from 50 percent to 47 percent. Despite these concessions, hundreds of seats remained vacant.

More than 140,000 students registered for the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT), with nearly 90,000 candidates declared successful. However, a significant number of qualified students chose not to enroll in local institutions.

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council had previously recommended a halt on the establishment of new medical and dental colleges and the expansion of existing seat capacities, citing concerns over educational resources and faculty availability.

According to PMDC data, Pakistan currently faces a shortage of 3,872 medical teachers. Against a requirement of 26,018 faculty members, only 22,146 are available nationwide.

Meanwhile, an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 Pakistani students are pursuing medical and dental education abroad.

Education experts believe that the large number of vacant seats is linked to concerns over high tuition fees, the quality of education, and uncertainty regarding future career opportunities in the medical profession. They argue that addressing these issues is essential to restoring student confidence in Pakistan’s medical and dental education system.