Medical aspirants in Pakistan are facing a new challenge as the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has announced a 33% increase in fees for the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) for MBBS and BDS programs. The fee has risen from Rs6,000 to Rs8,000.

This year, over 200,000 candidates are expected to participate in the MDCAT, and with the fee hike, PMDC projects to collect over Rs1.6 billion in registration fees. For international students, the registration fee will be Rs40,000.

Read more: MDCAT 2024: Latest Syllabus and Registration Update

Registration for the MDCAT opens today, and the test is scheduled to take place on September 22, not only across Pakistan but also in Saudi Arabia and the Emirates.

The decision to increase the fee has elicited a range of reactions from students and parents. Many are expressing concern about the added financial burden on those aspiring to enter medical and dental professions, as the higher cost could impact the accessibility of the test for some candidates.

This fee increase comes as a significant additional challenge for students already facing various hurdles in their pursuit of medical and dental careers.