MDCAT 2026: Test Date, Registration & PMDC Updates

PMDC has not yet announced the MDCAT 2026 registration schedule. For reference, MDCAT 2025 registration ran from 8–25 August, with a late-fee window until 1 September, and admit cards are typically issued 2–3 weeks before the exam. Check PMDC's official website (pmdc.pk) and Maqsad for confirmed 2026 dates.

The MDCAT 2026 eligibility criteria require at least 60% marks in HSSC (FSc Pre-Medical) or an equivalent qualification, with Biology and Chemistry as mandatory subjects (plus either Physics or Mathematics). You will also need a valid CNIC or B-Form. Candidates under 18 must submit a JRC (Juvenile Registration Certificate) — a new requirement for 2026. There is no age limit and no attempt limit.

MDCAT 2026 consists of 180 MCQs to be completed in 3 hours on a paper-based OMR sheet. The breakdown is: Biology (81 MCQs), Chemistry (45 MCQs), Physics (36 MCQs), English (9 MCQs), and Logical Reasoning (9 MCQs). Each correct answer earns +1 mark. There is no negative marking.

No — not for 2026. In April 2026, the federal government announced a new policy to hold MDCAT 6 days after FSc results are declared. However, reporting indicates this policy will come into effect from MDCAT 2027 onward, not MDCAT 2026. The 2026 exam will still follow the traditional August–October window.

PMDC has not yet officially announced the MDCAT 2026 registration last date. In 2025, the regular deadline was 25 August with a late-fee window until 1 September. Missing the regular deadline means paying a late fee; missing the late window means you cannot sit MDCAT 2026 at all. Check PMDC's official website (pmdc.pk) for confirmed 2026 dates.

PMDC has not yet officially confirmed the MDCAT 2026 registration fee. Based on 2025 rates, Pakistani nationals paid PKR 9,000 (regular) and PKR 13,000 (late fee), while international candidates (Riyadh centre) paid PKR 45,000 (regular) and PKR 55,000 (late fee). Check pmdc.pk for the confirmed 2026 fee once announced.

To register for MDCAT 2026 you will need: (1) CNIC or B-Form, (2) a recent passport-sized photograph, (3) SSC (Matric) certificate and marksheet, (4) HSSC (FSc Pre-Medical) certificate and marksheet, (5) your domicile certificate, and (6) a JRC (Juvenile Registration Certificate) if you are under 18 — this is a new requirement introduced for 2026. Candidates with foreign qualifications such as O Level or A Level must also obtain an IBCC equivalence certificate before applying.

MDCAT 2026 registration is done entirely online — there is no in-person submission. Once PMDC opens registration, go to the official portal, create an account with your CNIC or B-Form, fill in your personal and academic details, select your province and test city, upload the required documents, pay the registration fee via the designated bank challan or online payment channel, and submit the form. Download your acknowledgement slip and, closer to the exam, your admit card.

The official MDCAT 2026 registration portal is the PMDC website (pmdc.pk). This is the only authorised platform for the MDCAT 2026 application form — there is no third-party registration site. The portal link goes live from the PMDC homepage once registration opens, expected June 2026.

Yes. A-Level, O-Level, IB and other foreign-qualification candidates are eligible for MDCAT 2026, but you must obtain an IBCC equivalence certificate before filling the registration form. The IBCC certificate converts your foreign grades into Pakistan's SSC/HSSC equivalent, which is required both to register for MDCAT and for medical college merit lists.

PMDC has indicated that the MDCAT 2026 syllabus will be the same as 2025 — no major changes. It covers Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English, and Logical Reasoning at HSSC (FSc Pre-Medical) level. A full topic-by-topic breakdown is available on the Maqsad MDCAT syllabus hub.

The MDCAT 2026 passing marks are 99 out of 180 (55%) for MBBS and 90 out of 180 (50%) for BDS. Note that passing does not guarantee admission — competitive public medical colleges such as King Edward Medical University (KEMU) and Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) have very high merit, often above 90% aggregate, so aim well above the minimum passing percentage.

A PMDC MDCAT score is valid for three years from the date of the exam, under Section 17 of the PM&DC Act 2022. This means your MDCAT 2026 score (16 August 2026) can be used for the 2026, 2027, and 2028 admission cycles. If you are not satisfied with your score, you can re-sit MDCAT — there is no attempt limit — and use your highest score within the validity window. Note: the NUMS entry test is separate and is valid for one year only.

Top scorers typically prepare for 8–12 months with a structured plan: daily 4–6 hours of study, concept-first learning for Biology and Chemistry, 100+ MCQs per day, and weekly full-length mock tests under timed conditions. Maqsad's MDCAT 2026 batch offers daily live classes Mon–Fri, 15,000+ MCQs with explanations, weekly mock tests, and direct access to Pakistan's top MDCAT teachers. You can attend a demo class to see if it's right for you.

Most students now prepare through a structured online program rather than self-study alone. Maqsad is one of Pakistan's top-rated online MDCAT preparation platforms, with daily live classes Mon–Fri, 15,000+ MCQs with explanations, weekly full-length mock tests, and Pakistan's top MDCAT teachers — accessible from any city. Maqsad students have scored 165+/180, with 500+ university admissions to date.