"Sir, is there negative marking in MDCAT?" We hear this question more than almost any other, usually from a student who is scared to guess. It matters, because the answer changes how you should treat every question you are unsure about. Get it wrong and you might leave ten or fifteen MCQs blank out of fear, and give away marks that could have decided your college.
This page gives you the current rule straight from the official documents of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC), which sets the national MDCAT, and the National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), which runs its own test for Armed Forces colleges. Then it explains what the rule means for guessing, how your marks are actually counted, and the small mistakes on the answer sheet that can still cost you a mark.
The short answer: no, there is no negative marking in MDCAT. PM&DC's MDCAT-2026 notice says the test has "180 MCQs with no negative marking", and its MDCAT curriculum says the same. A correct answer gets 1 mark; a wrong answer and a blank both get 0. NUMS MDCAT has no negative marking either: its 2026 advertisement says "There shall be no negative marking". So never leave a question blank. Rule out what you can and choose the best remaining option.
What the official documents say
We do not rely on what people say on social media. Here is the exact wording in the documents PM&DC and NUMS published for the 2026 tests:
| Document | What it says |
|---|---|
| PM&DC public notice, MDCAT-2026 | "The MDCAT will be a multiple-choice, paper-based Test conducted in the English language. It will consist of 180 MCQs with no negative marking" |
| PM&DC MDCAT curriculum 2025 (used for MDCAT-2026) | Lists "No negative marking" in its structure, with 180 MCQs, 3 hours and paper-based MCQs |
| NUMS MDCAT-2026 advertisement | "There shall be no negative marking" |
| NUMS MDCAT-2026 syllabus (table of specifications) | Gives the structure and weightage but does not mention marking; the rule is in the advertisement |
PM&DC's notice of 19 May 2026 confirmed that the curriculum-2025 applied to MDCAT-2026. The earlier PM&DC curriculum for the 200-MCQ paper (2023) also listed no negative marking, so this is not a new rule. PM&DC's admission regulations do not deal with marking at all; the rule lives in the curriculum and the yearly MDCAT notice.
Whenever a new MDCAT is announced, read the "Pattern of MDCAT" section of the notice on pmdc.pk. If PM&DC ever changes the rule, that is where it will appear first, and we will update this page.
Minus marking, negative marking: same question
Students search this in many ways: "minus marking in MDCAT", "is there negative marking in MDCAT 2026", "negative marking in KMU MDCAT" or "UHS MDCAT negative marking". They all point to the same answer, because they are the same test:
- KMU, UHS and the other universities (Khyber Medical University in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the University of Health Sciences in Punjab, and others) conduct PM&DC's MDCAT in their province. PM&DC's 2026 notice listed the conducting universities for each province. The pattern, including no negative marking, is PM&DC's, whichever university runs your centre.
- NUMS MDCAT is a separate test for NUMS and Armed Forces administered colleges. It also has no negative marking for 2026.
UHS's MDCAT-2025 information guide, for example, repeated "No negative marking" in its test structure, word for word from PM&DC's curriculum.
How your MDCAT marks are counted
The counting is simple, and it is worth being exact about it:
- The paper has 180 MCQs. UHS's 2025 guide states the total marks are 180, one for each MCQ.
- Each MCQ has four options, and you fill one circle for your answer on the response form (the OMR answer sheet).
- Correct answer: +1. Wrong answer: 0. Blank: 0.
- Your score is simply the number of questions you got right, out of 180.
That score then has two jobs. First, it must clear the pass line PM&DC sets: 55% (99 out of 180) for MBBS and 50% (90 out of 180) for BDS. Second, it makes up 50% of your aggregate for public colleges (with 40% FSc and 10% Matric). One MDCAT mark is worth about 0.28 aggregate points. Read MDCAT passing marks and the aggregate formula for the full picture.
The one way you can still lose a mark you earned
With no negative marking, the only "penalty" left comes from the answer sheet. The response form is read by a machine. UHS's 2025 guide, which matches what other universities ask, said:
- Fill the circle completely with a blue ballpoint. Light or half-filled circles are rejected by the Optical Mark Reader and get no mark.
- Fill only one circle per question.
- Once marked, an answer cannot be changed. Erasers, correction fluid and overwriting are not allowed.
- Shade your question paper code correctly. Getting it wrong can lead to a wrong or null result.
Rules can differ slightly between universities and years, so read your admit card and the instructions printed on the response form. Our MDCAT time management guide shows how to bubble safely without losing time.
Should you guess in MDCAT?
Yes, always, but guess smartly. With four options and no negative marking, a blank is a guaranteed zero and a guess is never worse than a blank. Here is what a guess is worth on average:
| What you know | Chance the guess is right | Average marks from 10 such guesses |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing, all four options look possible | 1 in 4 (25%) | About 2.5 |
| You ruled out one option | 1 in 3 (33%) | About 3.3 |
| You ruled out two options | 1 in 2 (50%) | About 5 |
| You left it blank | 0% | 0 |
These are averages: on the day you might get more or fewer right. But the direction never changes. Every option you rule out makes your guess better, and a blank can never beat a guess.
"Skip" only means "skip for now"
In a test with negative marking, skipping can be the smart choice. In MDCAT it never is. What you can do is skip for now: if a question is eating your time, note its number and your best guess in the rough-work space, move on, and come back on a second pass. Just make sure every one of those questions gets a filled circle before the end.
How to make a better guess
- Cross out what you know is wrong first. Going from four options to two doubles your chance.
- In Physics, check units and size. An answer in the wrong unit, or a speed faster than light, is out.
- Watch words like "not", "except" and "incorrect". Many wrong guesses come from answering the opposite question.
- Use the other questions. A later question sometimes reminds you of a fact you needed earlier.
- Do not trust "patterns" in the answer key, such as "C comes most often". Nothing official supports them, and the questions come in several paper codes in different orders.
What guessing is worth: an example
Two students know the same 150 answers for sure. Thirty questions are left. Ali leaves the 30 blank because he is afraid of being wrong. Sara uses every option she can rule out, and guesses the rest.
| The 30 unsure questions | Ali (blank) | Sara (guesses) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 with two options left | 0 | About 5 |
| 10 with three options left | 0 | About 3.3 |
| 10 blind guesses | 0 | About 2.5 |
| Expected score out of 180 | 150 | About 161 |
About 11 extra marks is roughly 3 aggregate points, at 0.28 points per mark. On a merit list, that can be the gap between one college and the next, or between a seat and the waiting list.
PM&DC MDCAT vs NUMS MDCAT
Many students sit both tests. The marking rule is the same, but the papers are not:
| Feature | PM&DC MDCAT | NUMS MDCAT |
|---|---|---|
| Negative marking | No | No |
| Subject MCQs and time | 180 in 3 hours | 150 in 2 hours 45 minutes |
| Extra part | Not part of the test | Psychological test: 50 MCQs in 15 minutes |
| Logical Reasoning | 9 MCQs | Not in the paper |
| Format | Paper-based MCQs | Paper-based, one best answer |
| Pass line | 55% MBBS, 50% BDS | 55% MBBS, 50% BDS |
| Used for | Public and private colleges in every province | NUMS and Armed Forces administered colleges |
The NUMS pass line above is from NUMS's centralized admission advertisement for session 2025-26; check the current one before you apply. NUMS's syllabus lists the psychological test with a 5% weight but does not explain how it feeds into your result, and its 2026 advertisement says the test was valid for admission in session 2026-27 only. For a topic-by-topic comparison, read PM&DC MDCAT vs NUMS MDCAT.
Is there negative marking in NUMS?
No. The NUMS MDCAT-2026 advertisement says, under the pattern of the test, "There shall be no negative marking". NUMS's 2025 syllabus document said the same. So the advice is identical: answer every question in both parts.
Does no negative marking make MDCAT easier?
Not really. It makes it fairer to the student who takes a sensible guess, but it does the same for everyone in the hall. Every serious student fills all 180 circles, so the marks that decide merit still come from what you actually know. Guessing turns a few unsure questions into marks; it cannot replace preparation.
What it does change is your strategy:
- Plan your time so you reach every question. A question you never read is a lost chance at a mark. See how to finish 180 MCQs on time.
- Practise eliminating options, not just recalling answers. In your practice tests, mark the questions you guessed and check how many you got right.
- Keep the last 10 minutes for filling blanks and checking the answer sheet, as in our exam-day tips.
"The tests prepared me to concentrate for a long stretch, which is not the same as solving a few questions comfortably at home. ePrepare helped me practise that focus and then look back at my mistakes."
Jamshaid Qureshi, 174 in MDCAT 2026
Practise guessing the right way
Guessing well is a skill you build before the exam, not on the day. On ePrepare, when you get a question wrong you can tag the reason, and "Guessed" is one of the tags. Over a few weeks the "Why you lose marks" report shows how often your guesses go wrong, and Wrong MCQs brings those questions back for revision. Read how Wrong MCQs and smart revision work, and practise full papers under real timing in our mock tests guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking in MDCAT 2026?
No. PM&DC's MDCAT-2026 notice says the test had 180 MCQs with no negative marking.
Is there minus marking in MDCAT?
No. "Minus marking" and "negative marking" mean the same thing, and PM&DC's MDCAT has neither. A wrong answer scores 0, the same as a blank.
Is there negative marking in NUMS MDCAT?
No. NUMS's MDCAT-2026 advertisement says "There shall be no negative marking".
Is there negative marking in KMU or UHS MDCAT?
No. KMU and UHS conduct PM&DC's national MDCAT in their provinces, and PM&DC's pattern has no negative marking.
Should I leave a question blank in MDCAT if I don't know the answer?
No. A blank always scores 0. A guess has at least a 1 in 4 chance, and better if you can rule out options.
How many marks is each MCQ in MDCAT?
One. The paper has 180 MCQs and 180 marks.
What happens if I fill two circles for one question?
The instructions allow only one circle per question, and the sheet is read by a machine, so two circles risk the answer being read as invalid and earning nothing. Since you cannot erase, decide first, then fill one circle completely.
Will PM&DC add negative marking in future?
Nothing official says so. PM&DC sets the pattern in its curriculum and yearly notice. Check the next MDCAT notice on pmdc.pk; we will update this page if anything changes.
Fill every circle, and make each one count
No negative marking is good news, but it only helps if you reach every question with time to think. Register on ePrepare to practise full-length papers under real timing, tag your guesses, and turn the questions you are unsure about today into marks you are sure about on exam day.
Sources: PM&DC public notice on MDCAT-2026 for admissions in MBBS/BDS programs (pattern, no negative marking, conducting universities); PM&DC MDCAT curriculum 2025 and PM&DC's notice of 19 May 2026 applying it to MDCAT-2026; PM&DC MDCAT curriculum 2023; PM&DC Medical and Dental Undergraduate Education (Admissions, Curriculum and Conduct) Regulations 2025 (aggregate weightage); NUMS MDCAT-2026 advertisement and NUMS MDCAT-2026 syllabus (table of specifications); NUMS MDCAT-2025 syllabus; NUMS centralized admission advertisement for session 2025-26 (pass line); UHS MDCAT-2025 information guide (total marks, four options, response form rules). Guessing averages are simple probability, not official figures.
