In a major reform, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has decided to change the MDCAT exam schedule to reduce reliance on private coaching academies.
The new policy will take effect from the next academic cycle.
The council has announced that MDCAT exams will now be held soon after intermediate exams.
The aim is to change the current medical college admission process.
Under the new decision, MDCAT tests across the country will start six days after the FSc examinations.
Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said the decision was taken on the instructions of the prime minister.
He said that the main goal is to end the influence of the so called academy mafia that benefits from the present system.
Health Minister
Earlier, MDCAT exams were held four to six months after FSc exams. This long gap allowed private academies to charge students high fees for preparation during this period.
The health minister said academies used to collect large amounts of money from students in the months between FSc and MDCAT.
He said the new policy is meant to break this pattern and reduce the financial burden on families.
He added that students from wealthy families could afford expensive coaching. Students from middle class families often could not, which created inequality in medical admissions.
PMDC extends Medical, Dental College admission deadline
Medical and dental colleges in Pakistan now have until 31 March 2026 to complete admissions for the 2025–26 session, the PMDC announced, according to the latest reports.
The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has announced an extension for admissions to government and private medical and dental colleges for the 2025-26 academic session.
The new deadline for completing admissions has now been set for March 31, 2026. The decision was approved during the council’s meeting on February 10.
