  We have studied the density of states of the normal state of the
electron-doped superconductor Pr$_{2-x}$Ce$_x$CuO$_4$ at low temperatures and
in magnetic fields up to 31 Tesla using point contact spectroscopy on single
crystals. Our data clearly reveal an anomalous gap in the normal state density
of states. This normal state gap survives even in the highest applied field of
31 T. Our results cast doubt over whether this gap found in electron-doped
cuprates is the analog of the pseudogap in hole-doped cuprates. We have
suggested an alternate origin of the normal state gap, which involves the
effect of disorder and electron correlations at the surface of cuprates.
