what students need to know

MDCAT exams for MBBS and BDS admissions for the 2026 academic session have been revised. The Express Pakinomist spoke to Dr. Fatima Abid, director of admissions at Jinnah Sindh Medical University, who outlined the key details of the changes.

She said candidates must now secure at least 65 per cent marks in FSc (Pre-Medical) or an equivalent qualification to be eligible for the test, up from the earlier requirement of 60 per cent.

Candidates must also have Student, Intermediate and Domicile Certificates from the same province where they intend to appear for the MDCAT. According to Dr Abid, “the measure aims to reduce logistical and administrative challenges while ensuring fairness in seat distribution and monitoring”.

The updated MDCAT syllabus includes five subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English and Logical Reasoning — comprising 180 multiple-choice questions with no negative marking.

Dr. Abid added that the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has directed that all examination papers should be prepared under a uniform national framework, with a centralized question bank being developed to ensure transparency and fairness.

In view of the national situation, MDCAT exams have been rescheduled to take place from 5th to 26th October 2025 across multiple centres. Dr. Abid confirmed that biometric attendance and ID verification systems are already in place at universities and testing sites.

Addressing public concerns over previous paper leaks, Dr. Abid the anxiety among students and parents in Sindh, but noted that it is encouraging to see PMDC implementing stronger security measures, including digital encryption and secure paper distribution, to prevent future breaches.

• Digital encryption and secured and monitored delivery of question papers to test centers with sealed printing and distribution protocols in place monitored by PMDC observers.
• Any violation of the examination code by any center or official will result in immediate suspension and legal action under clause 25 of the PMDC Examination Regulations.
• Surveillance cameras and biometric verification at test centers.
• an audit procedure and a post-examination review to increase public confidence.

Regarding the issue of temporary licenses, Dr. Abid that although several universities in Sindh appear on the approved list (including DUHS, JSMU, LUMHS and Isra University), many candidates have reported delays in receiving their provisional licenses. She urged PMDC to clarify whether the delays stem from pending inspection reports or procedural backlog, stressing that timely issuance is essential for house jobs in government hospitals.

Dr. Abid said: “The 2025 PMDC reforms demonstrate efforts to ensure merit-based admissions nationwide and to strengthen academic standards for future doctors”. However, she warned that the new eligibility criterion of 65 percent could temporarily reduce the number of qualified candidates in rural Sindh, where educational opportunities remain limited.

MBBS Seat Allotment in Sindh’s Public Medical Colleges

Sindh’s government-run medical schools offer a combined 2,450 MBBS seats. There are 12 medical colleges, seven dental schools and six public medical universities across the province.

The distribution of MBBS seats is as follows:

• Dow Medical College – 350 seats

• Dow International Medical College – 150 seats

• Jinnah Sindh Medical University – 350 seats

• Liaquat Medical University, Jamshoro – 350 seats

• KMC – 250 seats

• Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Chandka Medical College, Larkana – 250 seats

• People’s Women’s Medical College, Nawabshah – 250 seats

• Khairpur Medical College – 100 seats

• Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Lyari Medical College – 100 seats

• Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College, Sukkur – 100 seats

• Gambat Medical College – 100 seats

• Bilal Medical College for Boys – 100 seats

The challenges continue

MDCAT exams conducted by public sector universities in 2023 and 2024 were affected by reports of paper leaks, raising concerns about transparency. In contrast, the 2019 and 2020 exams, held under the Pakistan Medical Council (PMC), went off without any such issues.

After the 18th constitutional amendment, responsibility for MDCAT was transferred to provincial public sector universities, with a different institution administering the test each year.

However, since Sindh’s public universities took charge, repeated reports of paper leaks have surfaced. In comparison, this year’s MDCAT, conducted by the National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) under the Federal Ministry of Defence, ended with no reported breaches.