MDCAT 2026: Over 138,000 candidates sit for medical entrance exams across Pakistan

The Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2026 was conducted across Pakistan on Sunday, September 20, with over 138,000 candidates registered nationwide. The examination was organized under the framework of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) across various cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and Sukkur, with an additional center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

In Karachi, approximately 11,000 candidates appeared at NED University and Dow University’s Ojha Campus. Students in Karachi faced significant challenges due to extreme heat, humidity, and poor road conditions on University Road, leading to several instances of students feeling unwell. In Lahore, over 12,000 candidates sat for the exam across six centers, supported by strict security measures including CCTV surveillance and biometric verification.

In Balochistan, 9,923 applicants registered through the Bolan University of Medical & Health Sciences (BUMHS). The exam consisted of 180 multiple-choice questions covering Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English, and Logical Reasoning. Authorities addressed concerns regarding exam integrity by dismissing viral social media posts claiming the paper had leaked, with the Sindh Testing Service (STS) labeling such content as fake.