Govt makes registration mandatory for medical students going abroad

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to make registration mandatory for medical students going abroad for studies, ARY News reported citing sources.

The registration will be compulsory for students going abroad for MBBS and BDS studies, the sources said that the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) will register students going abroad.

No medical student of Pakistan nwill be allowed to go abroad without PMDC registration. The registration process will be facilitated through the PMDC website.

The decision aims to ensure the protection of Pakistani medical students going abroad and to facilitate their admission to recognized foreign medical colleges. In 2024, several incidents of violence against Pakistani students in Kyrgyzstan were reported, highlighting the need for greater oversight and protection.

The registration will also help ensure that students receive quality education abroad. Currently, thousands of Pakistani students are studying in foreign medical colleges, particularly in China, Cuba, and Central Asian countries.

Earlier, the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulation, and Coordination emphasised the need for transparency, fairness, and equity in the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT).

The meeting of the NA body was held with Dr. Mahesh Kumar Malani in the chair.

During the meeting, a single and nationwide curriculum was proposed to address regional disparities in education and ensure a level playing field for all students.

Final decisions on this and other reforms will follow further legal reviews and stakeholder consultations.

Concerns about out-of-syllabus questions in recent exams were discussed, with the committee recommending greater accuracy in question papers to avoid post-exam corrections. A revised answer key had previously addressed students’ grievances about deleted questions.