Over 138,000 candidates to take MDCAT on Sept 20

Over 138,000 candidates to take MDCAT on Sept 20

• More than 2,000 students registered during additional registration phase after test was postponed • UHS Lahore will conduct exam for the largest number of applicants, with 49,198 students registered ISLAMABAD: The compiled data submitted by universities to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) shows that 138,158 candidates will appear in the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2026, scheduled to be held on September 20 across the country. The document also shows that 2,063 new candidates registered after the postponement of the test. It is worth mentioning that MDCAT was previously scheduled for August 16, 2026, but was rescheduled to September 20 following the suspension of internet services in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the prevailing tensions. The PMDC notification said the decision was taken on the directions of PM Shehbaz Sharif. Later, the PMDC reopened registration for the test. The data, compiled by five participating universities, show that 136,095 candidates had registered before the new registration phase. Subsequently, 2,063 additional candidates registered for the test. The major share of candidates has been registered through the University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lahore, which will conduct the test for 49,198 candidates. Of these, 48,528 had registered before the additional registration phase, while 670 were added later. The Khyber Medical University (KMU), Peshawar, has registered the second-largest number of candidates, with 38,841 candidates. Its initial registration stood at 38,318, while 523 candidates registered during the second phase. The IBA University, Sukkur, will conduct the test for 34,232 candidates, including 33,683 candidates who registered earlier and 549 additional candidates. The Bolan University of Medical and Health Sciences (BUMHS), Quetta, will conduct the test for 9,923 candidates, comprising 9,777 initial registrations and 146 additional candidates. Moreover, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU), Islamabad, has registered 5,964 candidates, including 5,789 candidates registered earlier and 175 additional candidates. The university will also conduct the test abroad at a centre in Saudi Arabia. The consolidated figures show that UHS Lahore alone accounts for more than one-third of the total MDCAT candidates. Meanwhile, the PMDC has dire­cted the universities and provincial authorities involved in the examination to ensure that all arra­ngements are completed on time and that the test is conducted in a fair, transparent and secure manner. PMDC President Prof Dr Rizwan Taj recently reviewed preparations with the vice chancellors of the universities conducting the test and representatives of the provincial authorities. The meeting also reviewed arrangements for examination centres, security, medical assistance, emergency response, and facilities for candidates and their accompanying parents or guardians. The MDCAT is a mandatory entrance test for admission to medical and dental colleges in Pakistan. Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2026