The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has postponed the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2026. The exam, which was scheduled for August 16, will now be held on September 20.
According to the PMDC, the decision was made following the direction of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who instructed the relevant authorities to ensure the examination is conducted in a more transparent and well-organised manner.
The council clarified that all other arrangements and conditions for the exam will remain unchanged. Only the test date has been revised. Students have been advised to visit the PMDC website for the latest updates and official information.
Earlier this year in May, the PMDC introduced a requirement for students planning to study medicine or dentistry abroad. Under the new policy, they must first qualify for the MDCAT and complete PMDC registration before leaving Pakistan.
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In a separate statement, the PMDC said Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a high-level committee meeting focused on strengthening the regulatory framework for medical and dental education in the country.
The Sub-Committee on Accreditation of Medical and Dental Colleges and Postgraduate (PG) Qualifications reviewed several reforms and regulatory measures during the meeting.
The committee also decided that all students planning to pursue medical or dental education abroad must “mandatorily qualify for the MDCAT examination and obtain registration with the PMDC” before travelling overseas to avoid future issues related to recognition, licensing, or registration.
Last year, the PMDC had also rescheduled the MDCAT because of the flood situation affecting different parts of the country.