Medical education: Students abroad spending USD800m annually: Kamal

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Health Services and Regulation Mustafa Kamal has said that Pakistani students seeking medical education abroad every year spend USD800 million. In a briefing to the members of the Senate Subcommittee on National Health Services and Regulations held here under the chairpersonship of Convener Senator Anusha Rahman, Kamal stated his ministry along with other stakeholders were making serious efforts to improve the medical education examination system. Responding to the questions raised by the committee members regarding every increasing cost of the medical education which has become unaffordable for common students, the minister said that Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) had introduced the MDCAT due to flaws in the education boards. Kamal directed PMDC and other relevant officials to prove that test papers are being set according to the FSc curriculum. He said that the MDCAT exams will begin within a few days of the FSc results being announced; if the exam is not aligned with the curriculum, it is unfair for the students, Kamal remarked. He further assured the committee that ministry officials along with the PMDC officials will sit with the students to listen their complaints, and if even a single child has an issue, they will resolve it. He added that when floods occur in Balochistan, students from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa call asking to postpone exams, using the flood as an excuse and claiming their books were washed away. The minister further stated that Pakistani doctors are still highly respected worldwide today; to produce more new doctors, everything must be done on merit. If the education system improves, there might not even be a need for exams like the MDCAT. Convener Committee Senator Anusha Rahman mentioned her recent visit to china, saying that during the visit she met with Pakistani students in China, noting that China’s annual tuition fee is higher than Pakistan’s. She added that in China, a medical student has to spend around Rs5 million per annum, whereas in Pakistan, it costs Rs1. 8 million. She said that Medical education in China is of good quality, but it is also expensive. The committee members expressed serious concern over the exorbitant fees and excessive extra charges levied by private medical colleges, saying that the high cost of medical education is driving students abroad. It was revealed in the committee that students who return after studying in China fail their medical tests. PMDC officials briefing the panel informed that a list of accredited foreign educational institutions will be issued, categorizing them into red and green categories. Additionally, the BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) programme has been extended to five years, matching MBBS. During a public hearing, male and female students alongside parents shared the severe hardships caused by Pakistan’s extremely expensive medical education. Students from Balochistan pointed out that they lack both an adequate educational environment and the means to afford heavy fees, asking how they are expected to prepare for the MDCAT. Consequently, students in Balochistan are being deprived of higher education. Parents noted that they receive no legal relief when forced to pay complete annual fees upfront to private medical colleges. Convener Anusha Rahman remarked that hundreds of doctors are leaving the country, and heavy expenses have left seats vacant in medical education colleges. Meanwhile, experts from private colleges argued that the MDCAT has weakened the overall education system. PMDC officials informed the committee that previously there was an entry test for medical admissions, but now it is the MDCAT, which takes place on a single day each year. The MDCAT exam will be conducted across 35 cities as well as in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They noted that prior to last year, many issues were faced regarding exam papers; to resolve these issues, a committee was formed, and the standardized syllabus was displayed on every forum. Convener committee remarked that every year, test preparation academies make a fortune out of these exams, adding that students complain that FSc students have to study A-Level books, and A-Level students have to study FSc books. The PAMI Association demanded representation for private medical colleges in the PMDC Council. Anusha Rahman clarified that formulating policy is the federal government’s job, and the PMDC Council cannot make policies on its own. Vice-Chancellors of several universities, private medical college representatives, and PMDC officials attended the committee meeting, while committee member Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri attended virtually. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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