ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has announced that over 140,000 applicants have registered for the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2025, which will be conducted nationwide as well as at one international centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, the MDCAT examination was scheduled for October 5. However, considering the difficulties faced by students in flood-affected areas, it has now been rescheduled for October 26 (Sunday).

According to the data, a total of 140,071 candidates have successfully registered for MDCAT 2025.

The test will be conducted through provincial universities as well as at overseas venues to facilitate international applicants.

A total of 50,443 candidates have registered from Punjab to appear under the University of Health Sciences, Lahore; 33,160 from Sindh under the Sukkur IBA Testing Service; 39,964 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the Khyber Medical University, Peshawar; and 10,278 from Balochistan under the Bolan University of Medical and Health Sciences, Quetta.

In addition, 1,146 candidates have registered from the Islamabad Capital Territory, 3,322 from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 1,564 from Gilgit-Baltistan, all under the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad.

Furthermore, 194 candidates have registered to appear at the international centre through the same university.

The highest number of applicants has been recorded in Punjab, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh.

According to a PMDC statement, the MDCAT exam will be conducted by universities nominated by the federal and provincial authorities, not by the PMDC.

However, the Council, as a regulator, has developed a uniform syllabus and item bank in consultation with all stakeholders, including federal and provincial authorities.

The test-conducting universities are required to ensure that PMDC standards are strictly followed in paper setting and the declaration of results.

All admitting universities must make necessary arrangements to facilitate the large number of applicants across all provinces and international centers.

The PMDC and the universities are coordinating with federal and provincial authorities such as FIA, IB and police to prevent any untoward incidents such as paper leaks and cheating.

Candidates are directed to follow instructions and advisories issued by the PMDC or universities and to ignore false reports circulating in the media.

The council has also instructed admitting universities to coordinate with relevant agencies and authorities to ensure a transparent examination process nationwide and internationally.

Any attempt at cheating or paper leaks will not be tolerated and will be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.

The MDCAT is a mandatory entry test for admission into medical and dental colleges across Pakistan and is a crucial step to ensure that only the most competent students are admitted into the healthcare profession.

PMDC President Dr Rizwan Taj has requested all universities to make the best possible efforts to conduct a smooth MDCAT examination.

He has also advised candidates to focus on their studies with dedication, stressing that hard work and merit are the only paths to success, and urged them to strictly refrain from using unfair means.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2025