PESHAWAR: The Khyber Medical University (KMU) has requested the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to retain the previous year’s seat allocations for public-sector medical and dental colleges across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, warning that changes in the distribution could affect the ongoing admission process.
In a letter to the PMDC, the KMU said that despite the regulator’s encouraging decision to increase seats in public-sector medical and dental colleges, a decrease in the number of seats had been observed in certain colleges in KP this year compared to the previous academic session.
It warned that the distribution of seats among individual institutions was likely to become an issue this year.
The KMU said the increase in seat capacity was a welcome move but the PMDC should retain the previous year’s allocations.
Warns changes in seat distribution could affect ongoing admission process
It said that it, as the admitting body for public-sector colleges, had already initiated the admission process in accordance with the PMDC’s rules and regulations.
“The PMDC’s decision does not necessarily mean that all colleges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will receive additional seats. The distribution among individual colleges and admission categories is equally important,” it noted.
On Sept 30 this year, the PMDC announced approval of 1,400 additional seats across public-sector medical and dental colleges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Balochistan and Islamabad.
It insisted that the move focused on students from underprivileged and less-developed regions and was intended to improve access to affordable medical and dental education in the country.
Although the PMDC has increased the number of seats in provincial medical and dental colleges by 200, previously allocated temporary seats are no longer available.
Deans of various medical colleges said their institutions had already admitted students against additional seats announced by the government from time to time to accommodate candidates under the special quota system. They said their respective colleges had not sought these additional seats.
The deans insisted that the criteria laid down by the PMDC would have to be followed.
“We are recognised by the PMDC for 50 seats but we have 72 students. The additional 22 seats were over and above the regular admissions to accommodate students from the merged tribal districts and Balochistan,” a senior KMU professor said.
He said the province had a total of 1,580 MBBS and BDS seats, which were filled through admission lists issued by the KMU after completion of the centralised admission process.
Officials said the PMDC had increased the intake at Saidu Medical College Swat from 115 to 150, Bacha Khan Medical College Mardan from 100 to 150 and Gomal Medical College Dera Ismail Khan from 115 to 150.
The PMDC said colleges must maintain prescribed standards for infrastructure, faculty, clinical facilities and patient safety.
Officials said the colleges admitted 1,435 students in the 2025-26 academic session and 1,450 in the 2026-27 session, meaning the net increase in admissions amounted to only 15 seats.
They, however, said the distribution of intake capacity among individual institutions had changed considerably.
Officials said the Bacha Khan Medical College Mardan, Saidu Medical College Swat and Gomal Medical College Dera Ismail Khan had collectively gained 120 MBBS seats as they had already admitted more students than their allocated quotas.
They said under the PMDC guidelines, Bacha Khan Medical College Mardan, Saidu Medical College Swat, and Gomal Medical College D.I. Khan would receive additional seats, while Khyber Medical College Peshawar, Ayub Medical College Abbottabad, Bannu Medical College, Nowshera Medical College, Gajju Khan Medical College Swabi and KMU Institute of Medical Sciences Kohat would not benefit from the increase.
Officials said Khyber College of Dentistry Peshawar, Ayub Medical College Dental Section and Bacha Khan College Mardan Dental Section would also see a reduction in their intake capacity.
A medical educationist said Bannu Medical College was recognised by the PMDC for 100 students but was admitting 117.
He said despite having the physical capacity to accommodate 150 students, the college faced a shortage of faculty as many specialists were reluctant to take up postings there because of the security situation.
The educationist said the college needed an increase in its student intake but any such enhancement should be made in accordance with the rules and regulations laid down by the KMU and the PMDC.
When contacted, KMU officials said that the colleges had not actually lost seats but had reverted to their originally allocated intake capacities.
They added that last year’s increase was temporary and applicable only to that academic session, whereas the additional 200 seats approved this year were permanent.
Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2026
