ISLAMABAD: The Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2026 will be held across Pakistan on September 20, with 138,160 candidates registered to appear in the examination.
Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said the MDCAT will be conducted at 34 examination centres across the country, while an additional centre has been established in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
According to the minister, the MDCAT paper will consist of 180 questions, while a pool of 8,000 questions has been prepared for the examination. The questions were developed by experts selected from across the country.
Kamal said significant improvements had been introduced to this year’s examination system. To prevent a nationwide cancellation in case of a paper leak, two separate question papers have been provided to each province.
He said provincial authorities and medical universities are responsible for conducting the examination, while the Ministry of National Health Services and the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) will oversee the process.
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A separate portal has also been opened for students from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). Due to internet connectivity issues in the region, candidates there will be provided with hard copies of the examination materials. A special examination centre has also been established in Islamabad for AJK students.
The MDCAT paper will include questions from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English and IQ.
In Sindh, the MDCAT will be conducted under the supervision of the SIBA Testing Services. Examination centres have been established at NED University and Dow University in Karachi, as well as in Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Larkana, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad and Islamabad.
The administration said necessary stationery and clean drinking water would be available for candidates at the examination centres. Waiting areas will also be provided for parents.
