The Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PM&DC) has approved 1,400 additional seats in public-sector medical and dental colleges across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad Capital Territory and Punjab.
The decision is aimed at increasing opportunities for students who qualify on merit, particularly those from underserved areas where access to medical education can be limited. The additional seats are also expected to provide more students with the opportunity to pursue medical and dental education within Pakistan instead of seeking admission abroad.
According to PM&DC, the approvals were granted after considering the applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The Council said the process was carried out according to the standards governing medical and dental education.
The Council also addressed concerns regarding the distribution of seats between public and private medical colleges. PM&DC rejected the impression that private institutions had been allocated more seats than public-sector colleges.
It clarified that medical and dental institutions in both sectors are required to meet the same regulatory standards for approval and expansion of seats.
PM&DC said its focus remains on expanding access to affordable and quality medical education while maintaining standards related to education, training and patient safety.
The addition of 1,400 seats is expected to increase the capacity of public-sector medical and dental institutions in the four regions. The move could also help more students from different parts of the country pursue professional medical education without having to look for opportunities outside Pakistan.
