Hatir Aslam
Pakistan’s financial crisis has far-reaching consequences, and one of the most affected groups is medical students, particularly those in Balochistan. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council’s (PMDC) exorbitant entrance test fee has added to the woes of these students, who are already struggling to make ends meet.
The PMDC charges each student Rs. 8,000 to appear for the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) in 2024. With around 200,000 students expected to take the test this year, the total amount collected will be a staggering Rs. 1 billion 60 crore. This fee is a significant burden for low-income families from Balochistan, who face chronic poverty, unemployment, and a lack of infrastructure. Most of the students taking the medical test hail from remote and underdeveloped areas of Balochistan, such as Mashkay, Awaran, Kholwa, Greshag, Nall, Jahoo, and many other underprivileged villages. For these students, affording the exorbitant fee is a daunting task. Pakistan stands alone in exploiting its students for financial gain, with the collected fees often used to fund luxuries for the elite, incompetent politicians, corrupt generals, and ineligible officers. This exploitation has severe consequences, limiting access to medical education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, increasing the financial burden on students, and decreasing the quality of medical education.
The PMDC’s fee conundrum is a symptom of a larger issue – the commercialization of education. Education is a fundamental right, and it should not be treated as a commodity. We urge the government to take immediate action to address this issue, ensure affordable access to medical education, and prioritize the well-being of Pakistan’s future healthcare professionals. Call to Action: We, the MDCAT aspirants, demand that the PMDC reconsider its exorbitant entrance test fee and explore alternative funding options that do not burden students. We also call on the government to take concrete steps to address the commercialization of education and ensure that education is treated as a fundamental right, not a commodity.
Moreover, Let’s get inspired by the courageous students of Bangladesh, who have been protesting against unfair admission policies. We urge every respected and cooperative resident of Pakistan to help us out by taking the following steps: – Protest against the high fee and demand a reduction – Write to the PMDC and government authorities to express their concerns – Share their stories and struggles on social media using the hashtags #JusticeForMedicalStudents #ReduceMDCATFee and related hashtags
– Join forces with student organizations and advocacy groups to demand change Lastly, we hope that every citizen of Pakistan will join us in this fight against the exorbitant fee structure of PMDC, which has been increasing relentlessly over the years. From Rs. 6000 last year to Rs. 8000 this year, this trend of annual hikes will only continue to burden future generations. We must recognize that this issue extends beyond the current MDCAT aspirants, affecting the entire nation directly or indirectly. The ever-increasing fee will deny countless talented individuals from underprivileged backgrounds the opportunity to pursue medical education, perpetuating a cycle of inequality and limiting Pakistan’s potential. Let us come together to demand a fair and affordable education system, regardless of financial backgrounds.