A new policy regarding admissions to public sector medical colleges in Punjab has been criticized by students wanting to apply for 2025. They call it “a severe injustice” that impacts students in this competitive year. Under this policy, 2023 and 2024 candidates can reapply for 2025 admissions and will be allowed to use their old MDCAT scores. Students have called it unprecedented, discriminatory, and unfair to candidates of the current year. It is the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) responsibility to execute this policy.
On Thursday, representatives of students looking to apply for 2025 medical colleges had their first press conference. They said the new policy is unfair to hard working candidates and favors older candidates. “Three-year validity of MDCAT scores has no precedent — nationally or internationally” one speaker said. Other Pakistani Universities, NUST, AKU, UET, PU, and GCU, only consider current year results. Students have questioned why the authorities treat medical admissions differently.
Students also called the policy a “backdoor entry” for those who had previously failed. They argued that it suggests 2025 aspirants are less deserving. They used numbers to prove their point. The 2024 MDCAT contained 200 questions. 2,750 students received scores between 190 and 200. The 2025 test had 180 questions. Only 817 students scored between 170 and 180. This means that the 2025 exam was, in fact, more difficult. Treating both scores the same is inequitable.
The 2025 cohort requested the Punjab government and PMDC to change the policy. They want to make it clear that the merit-based system must include fair competition. Only then, one can claim that the system is truly free of flaws and that the students have, in fact, trust in the system of medical education.
