Health Minister informs all details of MDCAT 2026

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal informed on Wednesday that the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) will be held on September 20, adding that substantial improvements have been introduced to this year’s MDCAT examination system, ARY News reported.

The Health Minister stated that the MDCAT 2026 examination paper will comprise a total of 180 questions. He added that two separate question papers, each containing 180 questions, have been sent to every province.

He further explained that a question bank containing 8,000 questions was established to prepare the exams.

Syed Mustafa Kamal emphasized that conducting the MDCAT remains the responsibility of provincial governments and medical universities.

He revealed that 34 examination centers have been set up for MDCAT 2026, including an international center in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.

Addressing security concerns, he noted that in the past, a paper leak forced the test to be cancelled nationwide. To eliminate this risk, two distinct question papers have been dispatched to each province.

Furthermore, he stated that a dedicated portal has been launched for students from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and physical copies of the exam papers have been delivered to AJK to address internet disruptions. A special center has also been established in Islamabad for candidates from AJK.

The Minister assured that the Ministry of Health and the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) will directly oversee and monitor MDCAT 2026. He noted that not a single complaint was registered regarding last year’s MDCAT execution.

After complete preparation, Syed Mustafa Kamal said now conducting the MDCAT remains the responsibility of provincial governments and medical universities.