As many as 61 private medical and dental colleges have been found deficient in one or more regulatory criteria during inspections by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and will be served notices to take corrective measures.

PMDC officials informed the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services on Tuesday that the shortcomings varied among the institutions, with each college failing to meet at least one criterion prescribed by the medical education regulator. The committee members said colleges that failed to remove the identified shortcomings should face strict regulatory action, including closure, while Senator Anusha Rahman emphasised that institutions lacking proper infrastructure must not be allowed to operate.

The committee also expressed serious concern over the medical and dental college admission system, highlighting that candidates face unnecessary academic and financial burdens due to multiple testing requirements. Lawmakers reviewed a comprehensive subcommittee report on MDCAT policy, which recommended reducing the test's weightage in merit calculations, holding examinations twice a year, and incorporating sustained academic performance from school and college levels.

Citing official figures, the report noted thousands of candidates qualified for a limited number of medical seats, while hundreds of seats in private institutions remained vacant due to exorbitant fee structures. The parliamentary panel called for strict oversight of private medical education, reviewing foreign qualification equivalences, and addressing the ongoing brain drain of Pakistani medical professionals moving abroad.