MDCAT 2026 concludes across Pakistan with over 138,000 candidates

The Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2026 concluded across Pakistan on Sunday, with thousands of students appearing for the entrance examination for admission to medical and dental colleges.

According to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), 138,160 candidates registered for this year’s test. The examination was conducted in 34 cities and towns across the country, along with an international centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The test started at 10am and continued for three hours. Candidates were instructed to reach their designated centres early and follow strict examination procedures.

PMDC President Professor Dr Rizwan Taj visited examination facilities and reviewed arrangements for candidates. He expressed satisfaction with the measures taken to ensure a smooth and orderly examination.

Special arrangements were also made in Islamabad for candidates from Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The PMDC said a detailed post-examination review would be carried out to assess the overall conduct of MDCAT 2026.

Punjab recorded the highest number of registered candidates, with 49,199 students. Balochistan had 9,923 registered candidates, while 2,761 candidates were registered from AJK and 1,721 from Gilgit-Baltistan. Islamabad had 1,245 candidates, while 237 students were registered at the Riyadh centre.

In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 38,845 candidates appeared at 59 centres across nine cities. Khyber Medical University said the examination was held simultaneously and remained peaceful.

The candidates in K-P included 18,107 male and 20,738 female students. Police, district administration, traffic police and rescue services were deployed at examination centres to ensure security and facilitate candidates.

Air-conditioned examination halls, medical facilities and emergency response teams were also arranged. Senior provincial officials and KMU representatives visited several centres to inspect the arrangements.

Peshawar recorded the highest number of candidates in K-P, with 16,722 students appearing at 19 centres. Mardan had 5,459 candidates at 10 centres, while 4,937 students appeared at 11 centres in Swat.

In Sindh, more than 34,000 candidates were registered for the examination. Centres were established in Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Larkana, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad and Islamabad.

Two major centres were established in Karachi at NED University and Dow University’s Ojha Campus. Around 11,000 candidates appeared at the two venues.

Large numbers of students and parents reached the Karachi centres early in the morning. Traffic also increased around NED University and University Road. Police and Rangers personnel were deployed to maintain security.

Strict security measures were adopted for transporting question papers. The vehicles carrying the papers were equipped with CCTV cameras, while drivers were not informed about their routes. A monitoring room was also established to supervise the examination process.

In Rawalpindi, Rescue 1122 teams remained present at three examination centres. Emergency coverage began at 6:30am, with no major medical emergency reported during the examination.

The PMDC also removed the requirement for a juvenile card for MDCAT 2026. Candidates were permitted to sit the examination without the card, while their original mark sheets were checked for identification.

Students were required to remain inside the examination halls until the test ended. They were also instructed to return their question papers to invigilators before leaving. Officials said failure to return a question paper could lead to cancellation of the candidate’s result.

Mobile phones and other digital devices were prohibited at examination centres. Separate waiting areas were arranged for parents and candidates, while medical units, Rescue 1122 and fire brigade teams were deployed for emergency assistance.

The PMDC said an extensive question bank containing around 8,000 questions had been prepared for MDCAT 2026. Experts from around 80 subject areas contributed to its preparation.