The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has rejected the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s request to lower the fee for the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) scheduled for September 22.
The PMDC cited high costs as the primary reason for not reducing the fee. KP Higher Education Minister Meena Khan Afridi had previously requested a fee reduction to assist poorer candidates.
However, PMDC Registrar Dr. Shaista Faisal explained that the fee increase from Rs6,000 to Rs8,000 was necessary to cover the expenses of organizing the exam across multiple districts.
“We understand the point formally raised by the KP government is valid but let me tell you that we’re not earning anything from the entry test,” she stated.
“The fee charged from the candidates is minimal and necessary to cover expenses, especially when it is conducted at the district level to save students from additional travel costs,” Dr Shaista added.
The PMDC organizes the MDCAT with the help of six public sector universities across all provinces. Dr. Shaista Faisal noted that universities were reluctant to administer the test last year at the Rs6,000 fee due to high operational costs.
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She added that the PMDC sources question papers from the National University of Medical Sciences and incurs significant expenses on stationery for the exam.
“Travel costs and test arrangements are some of the areas where we spend almost Rs8,000 per student,” she said.
She further explained that the MDCAT does not generate revenue, with fees set at the minimum necessary. She highlighted that limiting test centers to one per province would create significant travel costs for candidates.
The PMDC organizes the exam in local districts to reduce this burden and maintain transparency and merit in admissions to medical and dental colleges.
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