ISLAMABAD: The MDCAT 2026 examination concluded across Pakistan on Sunday, with more than 138,000 candidates appearing for the medical and dental college entrance test.
According to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), 138,160 candidates registered for this year’s examination. The test was conducted in 34 cities and towns across Pakistan, with an additional examination centre established in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The examination began at 10am and continued for three hours, with candidates required to reach their designated centres earlier in the morning.
Punjab records highest number of MDCAT candidates
Punjab had the largest number of registered candidates, with 49,199 students appearing for the examination.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa recorded around 38,845 candidates, while more than 34,000 students were registered in Sindh. Balochistan had 9,923 candidates, while 2,761 candidates were registered from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 1,721 from Gilgit-Baltistan. Islamabad recorded 1,245 candidates, while 237 candidates were scheduled to take the test at the Riyadh centre.
In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the examination was conducted at 59 centres across nine cities. Peshawar had the highest number of candidates in the province, with 16,722 students appearing at 19 centres.
Thousands of students appear in Karachi
In Sindh, the examination was administered through the Sukkur IBA Testing Service at centres across several cities, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Larkana, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas and Shaheed Benazirabad.
Two major examination centres were established in Karachi at NED University and Dow University’s Ojha Campus. Around 11,000 candidates were expected to appear at the two Karachi venues.
Large numbers of students and parents arrived early in the morning, resulting in increased traffic around NED University and University Road. Police and Rangers personnel were deployed around examination centres to assist with security and traffic management.
Tight security arrangements at examination centres
Authorities implemented extensive security and monitoring measures during MDCAT 2026.
In Sindh, question papers were transported to examination centres under security arrangements that included CCTV-equipped vehicles. A dedicated monitoring room was also established to oversee the examination process.
Medical units, Rescue 1122 teams and fire brigade personnel were deployed at various centres to deal with potential emergencies. In Rawalpindi, Rescue 1122 teams were stationed at three examination centres, with emergency coverage beginning early in the morning.
Candidates were prohibited from carrying mobile phones and other digital devices into examination centres. They were also required to remain seated until the examination ended and return their question papers to invigilators before leaving.
PMDC prepares 8,000-question bank
The PMDC said an extensive question bank of around 8,000 questions was prepared for MDCAT 2026, with experts from approximately 80 subjects contributing to the process.
Separate question papers were prepared for different provinces, with at least two versions produced for each province. Each paper contained 180 questions.
The council also removed the requirement for candidates to present a juvenile card for this year’s examination. Instead, students’ original mark sheets were checked for identification at examination centres.
MDCAT 2026 was previously postponed
The 2026 MDCAT was initially scheduled for August 16 but was later rescheduled to September 20.
According to PMDC and reports published before the examination, the test was postponed amid difficulties related to internet connectivity in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the prevailing situation at the time. The council subsequently reopened registration, allowing additional candidates to apply for the rescheduled examination.
With the examination now completed, candidates will be awaiting the release of their results and the next stage of the admission process for medical and dental colleges.
The MDCAT remains a key entrance examination for students seeking admission to MBBS and BDS programmes in Pakistan.
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