LAHORE: Aspiring and meritorious medical students in Punjab are set to benefit after the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) approved the addition of 475 seats in the province's public medical colleges, significantly expanding opportunities for admission to government-run institutions.
The approval was granted during a PMDC meeting held on July 14, 2026, marking a major development ahead of the upcoming medical admissions cycle. The decision comes in response to a request submitted by the Punjab government in 2025 to increase training capacity in public sector medical institutions.
The expansion is expected to provide more students with access to quality medical education while strengthening Punjab's future healthcare workforce.
Public medical college seats rise to 3,951
With the latest approval, the number of seats available in Punjab's public medical colleges has increased from 3,476 to 3,951.
The expansion also boosts the province's overall public-sector medical and dental education capacity, with combined medical and dental college seats rising from 3,766 to 4,241.
The increase is expected to create hundreds of additional opportunities for students competing for admission to government medical and dental colleges, where demand consistently exceeds available seats each year.
Punjab government welcomes PMDC decision
Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique welcomed the council's approval, saying the increase was achieved through the provincial government's continuous engagement and coordination with the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC).
He thanked the council for approving the additional seats and acknowledged the efforts of Punjab Health Secretary Azmat Mahmood and his team in pursuing the proposal.
According to the minister, expanding admission capacity will help more deserving students pursue careers in medicine and dentistry while contributing to the long-term development of the province's healthcare system.
Why the expansion matters
The approval comes as competition for admission to public medical colleges in Pakistan continues to intensify, with thousands of students applying each year for a limited number of seats.
Education experts have long argued that increasing training capacity is essential to meeting the country's growing healthcare needs, particularly as demand for qualified doctors and dental professionals continues to rise.
The additional seats are expected to ease admission pressure while supporting the government's broader efforts to strengthen medical education and improve the availability of future healthcare professionals across Punjab.
For thousands of students preparing for the upcoming admissions process, the latest PMDC decision could significantly improve their chances of securing a place in a public-sector medical or dental college.
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