Over 2,000 Foreign Medical Graduates Apply for NRE

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Dr. Imdad Khushk, Registrar of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), revealed that a significant number of foreign medical graduates, totaling at least 2,000, have submitted applications for the upcoming National Registration Exam (NRE). The exam, slated to occur in two phases throughout June and July, has its registration window closing today.

During an E-Kutchery session on Monday, Dr. Khushk emphasized the urgency for aspiring candidates to complete their applications before the deadline. The NRE, governed under the PMDC Act, holds two sessions annually, with scheduled dates for the examinations. Dr. Khushk encouraged all medical graduates to seize the opportunity by applying for the NRE, assuring that efforts are made to accommodate as many candidates as possible.

He elaborated on the exam structure, detailing Step I set for June 2 and Step II scheduled for July 21-22, with alternate dates on July 28-29 if necessary due to capacity constraints. Additionally, plans for the second session of the NRE in November-December were outlined, with exams slated for November 24 and December 28-29, with provisions for overflow in the following January.

Moreover, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, addressing the National Assembly, confirmed the government’s commitment to conducting two NRE sessions this year, commencing on June 2. He announced a reduction in the passing percentage from 70% to 60%, emphasizing the importance of maintaining medical education standards.

Meanwhile, PTI lawmakers’ demands for lowering passing marks to 50% were met with opposition from the Law Minister, who cited the need to uphold quality in medical education. The discussion also encompassed past exam performance and structural revisions to improve candidate outcomes, administered by the National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS).

Additionally, PPP leader Qadir Patel supported PTI’s demand for revised passing marks and voiced concerns over the caretaker government’s ban on new private medical colleges. Last year, approximately 10,000 medical and dental graduates from local institutions were exempted from the NRE, formerly mandated by the defunct Pakistan Medical Commission in 2020.