The PMDC refused the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s proposal to lower the cost of the September 22 Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT). This proposal was sent to PMDC citing the higher cost for MDCAT.

“We acknowledge that the KP government’s formal statement is valid, but let me clarify that we are not receiving any compensation for the entry test exam. Dr. Shaista Faisal, the PMDC registrar, said that the small amount required of the applicants is essential to pay for costs, particularly when the exam is held at the district level to spare students from extra travel expenses.

In a letter to PMDC President Dr. Rizwan Taj on August 6, KP Higher Education Minister Meena Khan Afridi requested a reduction in the MDCAT price in order to “help poor candidates to take the test to join the medical profession.”

“The PMDC has raised the medical and dental college admission test from Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000. We recognize how critical it is to uphold strict guidelines and pay for the test’s required expenses.

But there are grievances over this increased cost. The real cost of a candidate’s test is estimated to be between Rs. 1,500 and Rs. 2,000, according to trustworthy sources,” he stated in the letter. Asserts that higher MDCAT costs prevent them from accepting the KP government’s request.

The minister maintained that an increase in the MDCAT fee would put an excessive financial burden on students. His province has been significantly impacted by an ongoing wave of conflict and instability, which has left a sizable portion of the people living in poverty.

He continued by saying that a lot of gifted kids from underprivileged families were deterred from taking the test in order to become doctors.

He stated, “I ask the PMDC to lower the cost to the lowest level so that low-income students can take the test.”

Mr. Afridi added that the PMDC’s assistance in that area would relieve many families of their financial burden and help to create a more equal educational system.

In the letter, he expressed his optimism that his request for universal access to medical education would be granted.

According to the PDMC registrar, the PMDC offers MDCAT at the district level in all provinces through six public sector institutions. 

Dr Shaista stated that because of the high cost, the universities were not ready to take the test last year when fees were suggested Rs 6,000 per student.

According to her, the National University of Medical Sciences provided the PMDC with the test question papers, and a lot of stationery was utilized. In order to maintain openness, the registrar stated that the papers were thereafter provided to the universities and that PMDC staff members visited examination rooms. 

We spend approximately Rs 8,000 per student on travel cost and test arrangements. The spokesperson mentioned.

According to Dr. Shaista, taking the MDCAT is a “matter of honor” for students and does not result in any financial benefit. “We’re only charging the bare minimum to candidates,” she declared.

According to the PMDC registrar, candidates would face financial hardships if each province only had one MDCAT center because they would need to travel a lot to get there. We manage the examination centers in the home districts for candidates. mentioned the spokesperson.

According to Dr. Shaista, the PMDC concentrated on steps to guarantee high-quality education by transparently administering the exam for admission to medical and dentistry schools “purely on merit.”