Here's the situation: Every admission cycle, thousands of students apply to private medical colleges as a backup. When they get upgraded to a public college through subsequent merit lists, they vacate their private seats. Those seats don't disappear — they become leftover seats that must be filled through a formal, centralized process.
But here's the part that trips up most families: you cannot simply call a college and buy a leftover seat. PMDC has strictly barred colleges from filling their own vacant seats[reference:0]. All admissions must be conducted by the admitting university for that province or region, strictly on merit and in a transparent manner[reference:1].
The catch: Any seat offered directly by a college management — outside the admitting university's merit list process — is illegal and will not be recognized by PMDC[reference:2][reference:3]. Parents have been scammed into paying millions for seats that were never legitimate.
How the Centralized System Works
PMDC's admission framework is built around admitting universities — one per province or region — that manage the entire admission process for both public and private colleges in their jurisdiction[reference:4]. For example:
- Punjab: University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lahore
- Sindh: Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro[reference:5]
- Federal: Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU)
- KP: Khyber Medical University (KMU)
These admitting universities are the only authorized bodies to conduct admissions, publish merit lists, and fill vacant seats[reference:6]. Private colleges have no authority to admit students independently — they merely receive the students allocated to them by the admitting university.
Key point: PMDC has made it clear that admissions granted under any amnesty or direct arrangement — unless carried out by the admitting university — would not be recognised[reference:7].
The 3rd and 4th Merit Lists: When Leftover Seats Actually Get Filled
The admission process doesn't end with the first merit list. PMDC regulations require that admissions in public and private sector medical and dental colleges be completed after the display of three or more merit lists by the admitting university[reference:8][reference:9].
Here's the timeline that matters:
| Merit List | Typical Timing | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Merit List | Late November - Early December | Initial offers to top candidates in both public and private colleges |
| 2nd Merit List | Mid-December | Fills seats vacated by students who didn't pay fees or opted out |
| 3rd Merit List | Late December - Early January | Fills seats vacated when students upgrade from private to public colleges |
| 4th Merit List (if needed) | Mid-January | Final round for any remaining leftover seats |
The 3rd merit list is where the action happens for leftover seats. By this point, students who secured private seats in earlier lists have been upgraded to public colleges through subsequent lists, creating vacancies. The admitting university then offers these seats to the next candidates in merit order.
A 4th merit list may be published if seats remain unfilled after the 3rd list[reference:10]. This is the absolute final opportunity for the cycle.
Pro tip: If you're on a private college waiting list, the 3rd and 4th merit lists are your real windows. But you must have already applied through the admitting university's portal and be on their merit list — you can't just call the college.
The Fee Payment and Upgradation Mechanism
When a candidate's name appears on a merit list, they have a strict deadline to pay a deposit to secure the seat. For private sector colleges under UHS, for example, candidates must deposit Rs. 600,000 within three working days after the display of the merit list[reference:11]. Failure to pay on time results in the seat being offered to the next candidate in merit[reference:12].
Here's the critical part for upgradation:
- Candidates must indicate their choice on the online portal: retain their allocated seat OR opt for upgradation as per merit and order of preference in subsequent selection lists[reference:13].
- If a candidate is upgraded to a higher-preferred institution, the fee deposited in the previous institution is transferred to the new institution without any deduction[reference:14].
- This upgradation mechanism is what creates the wave of leftover seats in private colleges — as students move up, the seats they vacate become available to others.
The Illegality of "Buying" a Leftover Seat
This needs to be said plainly: there is no legal way to buy a leftover seat directly from a private medical college.
PMDC has issued explicit directives barring medical and dental colleges from filling their own vacant seats[reference:15]. In a letter sent to the principals of medical and dental colleges, PMDC Registrar Dr. Shaista ordered that admitting universities are to ensure admission in all colleges in their respective provinces/regions in accordance with the criteria specified under Section 17(5) of the PMDC Act, 2022[reference:16].
Despite this, reports of corruption persist. An Intelligence Bureau report alleged that private medical colleges pay approximately Rs 10 million per seat for the allocation of additional student seats[reference:17][reference:18]. Parents have also reported being asked for upfront payments of Rs 3.5 million with less than 24 hours' notice, threatening to cancel seats if the money is not deposited immediately[reference:19].
Warning: PMDC has warned that non-compliance with admission regulations will result in heavy financial penalties and could even impact future seat allocations for offending institutions[reference:20]. If a college offers you a seat directly — outside the admitting university's merit list — it is illegal and you risk losing both the seat and your money.
What Happens When Seats Remain Unfilled?
In recent years, a significant number of private medical college seats have remained vacant even after all merit lists are exhausted[reference:21][reference:22]. The primary reason? Affordability. Annual fees running into millions of rupees have discouraged even academically eligible candidates from applying[reference:23][reference:24].
To address this, PMDC has allowed a one-time relaxation in merit to fill vacant seats[reference:25][reference:26]:
- MBBS: Minimum merit reduced from 55% to 52%[reference:27][reference:28]
- BDS: Minimum merit reduced from 50% to 47%[reference:29][reference:30]
The relaxation applies only to seats that remain unfilled after the regular admission process and will not become a permanent policy[reference:31][reference:32]. PMDC has made it clear that the relaxed merit will only be applied after exhausting the existing pool of qualifying candidates[reference:33][reference:34].
Additionally, universities may allow a one-time reduction of up to 3% in MDCAT passing marks for both MBBS and BDS admissions (MBBS: 52%, BDS: 47%) if seats remain vacant after all students in the existing pool have been considered[reference:35]. The last date for admissions for the 2025-26 academic session was set as April 15, 2026[reference:36].
Important: This merit relaxation is not an invitation to skip the merit list process. Colleges are not allowed to bypass standard procedures, and all admissions must still be conducted strictly on merit and in a transparent manner[reference:37][reference:38].
The Timeline: When to Watch for Leftover Seats
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy a leftover seat directly from a private medical college?
No. PMDC has strictly barred medical and dental colleges from filling their own vacant seats[reference:43]. All admissions must be conducted by the admitting university for that province or region, strictly on merit and in a transparent manner[reference:44]. Any seat offered directly by a college management is illegal and will not be recognized by PMDC[reference:45].
When do leftover seats in private medical colleges become available?
Leftover seats typically become available in late December and January, after students who secured seats in private colleges are upgraded to public colleges through subsequent merit lists. The admitting university publishes 3 or more merit lists, and each list triggers a wave of upgrades and vacancies[reference:46].
How many merit lists are published for private medical college admissions?
Admissions in public and private sector medical and dental colleges are completed after the display of three or more merit lists by the admitting university[reference:47][reference:48]. A 3rd and sometimes 4th merit list is published to fill seats that become vacant due to upgrades.
What is the deadline for private medical college admissions?
PMDC has set April 15, 2026, as the final date for admissions for the 2025-26 academic session[reference:49]. All provincial health departments and admitting universities must ensure full compliance with these instructions[reference:50].
What is the relaxed merit for leftover seats?
PMDC has allowed a one-time relaxation: MBBS minimum merit reduced from 55% to 52%, and BDS from 50% to 47%[reference:51][reference:52]. This applies only to seats that remain unfilled after the regular admission process[reference:53].