Some medical schools charge an additional fee of 10 to 20 percent each year. PHOTO: PEXELS
ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) announced a major revision of the Medical & Dental College Entry Test (MDCAT) schedule on Wednesday aimed at streamlining the medical admission process and reducing waiting times for students.
As per the new policy, MDCAT will now be held within a month of the FSC exams.
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal supported the change, calling it a positive development that would help students maintain academic continuity and complete their preparation without losing momentum.
PMDC President Dr. Rizwan Taj confirmed to The Express Pakinomist that the policy would be implemented for the 2026 FSC exams. He explained that reducing the gap between exams would allow students to move on to the next step faster, while also making medical school admissions faster and more organized.
“The new schedule has been cleared with the provincial authorities who have expressed readiness to conduct the exams on the revised timeline,” said Dr. Taj and added that MDCAT was conducted smoothly, with no cases of paper leakage, disruption or cheating like last year.
In 2025, a total of 140,125 candidates nationwide registered for the entrance exam. The examination took place in nine cities and ten centers of Sindh, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Khairpur, Jacobabad, Larkana and Sukkur.
However, some students expressed concern about the feasibility of the new schedule. They pointed out that FSC exams were traditional written tests, while MDCAT was purely multiple-choice, requiring different preparation strategies.
Students feared that the short gap of a few weeks might not allow enough time to prepare for both exams effectively, potentially affecting performance.
Education experts and students suggested that temporary guidance and support be provided to help graduates adjust to the new schedule. Some also suggested lowering the FSC pass threshold from 40% to 20-30% to give students more focused preparation time for the MDCAT.
The move sparked debate in academic circles, with supporters praising it as a time-saving measure, while critics warned of increased academic pressure and stress on students. The impact of the new policy will be closely watched during this year’s FSC exams, with potential long-term implications for medical education in Pakistan.
