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MDCAT mandatory for medical college admissions: PMDC

Sabir Shah Hoti • October 15, 2026 • Pakistan

The admission policy for MBBS and BDS programmes for the 2026–27 academic session has been announced for public and private medical and dental colleges in Punjab.
The University of Health Sciences (UHS) will conduct the centralised admissions for MBBS and BDS programmes for the 2026–27 academic session. Passing the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) has been made mandatory for admission to medical and dental colleges.
Under the admission merit formula, MDCAT scores will carry 50 per cent weightage, FSc marks 40 per cent and matriculation marks 10 per cent. Candidates must secure at least 60 per cent marks in FSc to qualify for admission to MBBS and BDS programmes.
According to the admission policy, Biology and Chemistry are compulsory subjects, while candidates must also have passed either Physics or Mathematics.
Applicants seeking admission to public medical colleges must list their preferences for all colleges. However, there will be no limit on the number of college preferences for applicants to private medical colleges.
Selected candidates will be required to deposit their admission fees within three working days of the publication of the merit list.
The annual tuition fee for open-merit admissions to public medical and dental colleges has been fixed at Rs50,000.
Earlier, PMDC decided to waive the mandatory MDCAT requirement for Pakistani students seeking admission to medical and dental colleges abroad.
According to a public notice issued by the PMDC, Pakistani students applying for admission to foreign medical and dental institutions will no longer be required to pass the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT).
The decision means Pakistani students seeking admission to medical or dental programmes at foreign institutions can apply without having to appear for or pass the MDCAT.
The development comes after the PMDC recently reversed its decision to extend the duration of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme.
The council has confirmed that the BDS programme will remain four years long after withdrawing its earlier decision to extend the programme to five years.
PMDC officials informed the Senate Standing Committee on Health that the council had withdrawn its previous notification regarding the extension of the duration of dental education.
The committee directed the PMDC to issue a formal notification confirming the four-year BDS programme.