If you are in FSc Pre-Medical and want to become a doctor or a dentist in Pakistan, one test stands between you and every medical college in the country: MDCAT. This page explains, in plain words, what MDCAT is, who conducts it, who can take it, what the paper looks like, how many marks you need, and how your score turns into a seat.
The short answer: MDCAT stands for Medical and Dental College Admission Test. It is the entry test you must pass for admission to MBBS or BDS in any public or private medical or dental college in Pakistan. PM&DC sets the syllabus and rules, and a nominated university conducts it in each province. The paper has 180 MCQs in 3 hours with no negative marking, and you need at least 55% (99 marks) for MBBS or 50% (90 marks) for BDS.
MDCAT at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Full form | Medical and Dental College Admission Test |
| What it is for | Admission to MBBS and BDS in public and private colleges |
| Who sets the rules | Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) |
| Who conducts it | A university nominated in each province or region |
| Questions and time | 180 MCQs in 3 hours |
| Negative marking | None |
| Passing marks | 55% (99/180) for MBBS, 50% (90/180) for BDS |
| Validity | Three years, nationwide |
| Share in your aggregate | 50% (FSc 40%, Matric 10%) |
What is the full form of MDCAT?
MDCAT stands for Medical and Dental College Admission Test. That is the wording PM&DC uses in its own press releases and notices. Its 2026 regulations use the plural, "Medical and Dental Colleges Admissions Test", for the same test. Students sometimes write "MCAT" for it, but MCAT is a different American test; in Pakistan the test is MDCAT.
Who conducts MDCAT?
Two bodies share the job, and it helps to know which does what.
- PM&DC sets the framework. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council registers candidates, issues one uniform syllabus for the whole country, sets the paper standards and builds a common question bank. For MDCAT 2026, PM&DC said its question bank had about 8,000 questions.
- A university conducts the test in each province. PM&DC's own statement is that "the respective provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad Capital Territory conduct MDCAT", on dates PM&DC approves. The nominated university prints the paper, runs the centres and declares the result.
For MDCAT 2026, PM&DC named these conducting universities:
| Province or region | Conducting university |
|---|---|
| Punjab | University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lahore |
| Sindh | Sukkur IBA University, Sukkur |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) | Khyber Medical University (KMU), Peshawar |
| Balochistan | Bolan University of Medical and Health Sciences (BUMHS), Quetta |
| Islamabad, AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan and Riyadh | Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU), Islamabad |
Each province received at least two separate 180-question papers built from PM&DC's question bank. That is why MDCAT is often called "national" and "provincial" at the same time: one syllabus and one set of rules, but the test is run province by province.
What about NUMS MDCAT?
The National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) holds its own admission test. PM&DC's 2026 regulations say NUMS is the admitting university for all Armed Forces-administered medical and dental colleges, and that the "NUMS admission test shall be considered only for admission in all Armed Forces Administered medical / dental colleges". NUMS's paper is different too: 150 subject MCQs plus a psychological test, and no Logical Reasoning. If you want both kinds of colleges, you sit both tests. Our PMDC MDCAT vs NUMS MDCAT comparison goes through every difference.
How big is MDCAT in Pakistan?
It is the largest admission test in the country. PM&DC reported 140,071 candidates registered for MDCAT 2025, for about 22,000 MBBS and BDS seats in public and private colleges. For MDCAT 2026, it reported 138,158 registered candidates, tested in 34 cities and towns in Pakistan and one international centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In 2025 that was more than six registered candidates for every seat, which is why your aggregate, not just a pass, decides where you study.
Who can take MDCAT? (eligibility)
MDCAT is meant for students of FSc Pre-Medical or an equivalent qualification, including those still waiting for their result; each year's registration notice gives the exact conditions. Taking the test and being eligible for admission are two separate steps. PM&DC's 2026 regulations say that to be eligible for an open-merit seat you must:
- Pass the MDCAT.
- Have HSSC (FSc) or an equivalent 12th-grade qualification with at least 60% marks, or a higher percentage if PM&DC notifies one.
- Have passed Biology and Chemistry, with either Physics or Mathematics.
Admitting universities can ask for more. KMU, for example, asks for at least 65% in FSc for KPK's public colleges. O and A level students use IBCC equivalence. The details for KPK are in our guide to KMU MBBS and BDS eligibility.
What does the MDCAT paper look like?
PM&DC announced the current structure with its revised syllabus in June 2025: 180 multiple-choice questions in three hours, 15% easy, 70% moderate and 15% difficult, with no negative marking. MDCAT 2026 followed the same pattern. The 180 MCQs are split across five subjects:
| Subject | MCQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | 81 | 45% |
| Chemistry | 45 | 25% |
| Physics | 36 | 20% |
| English | 9 | 5% |
| Logical Reasoning | 9 | 5% |
| Total | 180 | 100% |
Each MCQ carries one mark, so the paper is out of 180. The syllabus follows the FSc (intermediate) level. Read the MDCAT paper pattern for a time plan, and the MDCAT syllabus, subject by subject for every unit.
No negative marking means no blanks. A wrong answer and an empty answer both score zero, so always mark your best choice. See is there negative marking in MDCAT.
How many marks do you need to pass MDCAT?
PM&DC's minimum is 55% for medical colleges and 50% for dental colleges. On a 180-mark paper that is 99 marks for MBBS and 90 for BDS. Passing makes you eligible to apply. It does not guarantee a seat: a government MBBS seat needs a far higher score. Our MDCAT passing marks guide shows the difference with real closing merit.
How long is an MDCAT result valid?
PM&DC has said the MDCAT score "will be valid nationwide, and will remain valid for three years". So a result from one province can be used for admission in another, and a score can be used in later admission years within that window. Each admitting university lists the MDCAT years it accepts in its own notice.
How MDCAT leads to admission
Your MDCAT score is not used alone. It becomes half of an aggregate, and the merit lists rank students by that aggregate.
- Register on PM&DC's MDCAT portal when registration opens (in 2026 it ran from June, with extensions into July).
- Sit the test at a centre run by your province's conducting university.
- Get your result from that university.
- Apply for admission to the admitting university for your province (for example KMU for KPK's public colleges), or to NUMS for Armed Forces colleges with the NUMS test.
- Your aggregate is calculated as MDCAT 50%, FSc 40% and Matric 10%, the weighting PM&DC's regulations set for both public and private colleges.
- Merit lists are displayed, at least three for public colleges under PM&DC's regulations, and students are admitted and upgraded by merit and preference.
Every MDCAT mark adds about 0.278 to your aggregate. Our guide on how to calculate MDCAT aggregate works it out for every university, and the aggregate calculator does the sum for you.
In Urdu: MDCAT in short
In Urdu
ایم ڈی کیٹ (MDCAT) کا پورا نام میڈیکل اینڈ ڈینٹل کالج ایڈمیشن ٹیسٹ ہے۔
پاکستان کے ہر سرکاری اور نجی میڈیکل اور ڈینٹل کالج میں داخلے کے لیے یہ ٹیسٹ پاس کرنا لازمی ہے۔
پی ایم اینڈ ڈی سی سلیبس اور قواعد طے کرتی ہے، جبکہ ٹیسٹ ہر صوبے کی نامزد یونیورسٹی لیتی ہے۔ آرمڈ فورسز کے کالجوں کے لیے نمز (NUMS) اپنا الگ ٹیسٹ لیتی ہے۔
پرچے میں 180 سوالات (MCQs) ہوتے ہیں: بیالوجی 81، کیمسٹری 45، فزکس 36، انگلش 9 اور لاجیکل ریزننگ 9۔ وقت 3 گھنٹے ہے اور منفی مارکنگ نہیں ہے۔
ایم بی بی ایس کے لیے کم از کم 55 فیصد (99 نمبر) اور بی ڈی ایس کے لیے 50 فیصد (90 نمبر) ضروری ہیں۔
داخلہ میرٹ پر ہوتا ہے: میٹرک 10 فیصد، ایف ایس سی 40 فیصد اور ایم ڈی کیٹ 50 فیصد۔
How to start preparing
- Start from the official syllabus, not a guess. PM&DC's curriculum lists every topic that can be asked.
- Give Biology the most time. It is 81 of the 180 marks.
- Practise MCQs every day, chapter by chapter, then in full 180-MCQ papers under a 3-hour timer.
- Use past papers to learn the style of questions: see MDCAT past papers.
Our MDCAT preparation guide turns this into a plan for 12 months, 6 months, 90 days or 30 days.
Frequently asked questions
What is MDCAT?
MDCAT is the Medical and Dental College Admission Test, the compulsory entry test for MBBS and BDS admission in all public and private medical and dental colleges in Pakistan.
What is the MDCAT test made of?
180 MCQs in 3 hours: Biology 81, Chemistry 45, Physics 36, English 9 and Logical Reasoning 9. Each MCQ is one mark and there is no negative marking.
Who conducts MDCAT in Pakistan?
PM&DC sets the syllabus, standards and question bank, and a nominated university conducts the test in each province. In 2026 these were UHS (Punjab), Sukkur IBA University (Sindh), KMU (KPK), BUMHS (Balochistan) and SZABMU (Islamabad, AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan and Riyadh). NUMS holds a separate test for Armed Forces colleges.
What is MDCAT in Urdu?
In Urdu it is written ایم ڈی کیٹ: the medical and dental college admission test, which every student must pass to get admission to MBBS or BDS in Pakistan. The Urdu summary box above has the key facts.
Can I take MDCAT after FSc Pre-Medical?
Yes. MDCAT is for FSc Pre-Medical or equivalent students, including those awaiting their result. For admission you also need at least 60% in HSSC with Biology and Chemistry, plus Physics or Mathematics.
What are the passing marks of MDCAT?
55% (99 out of 180) for MBBS and 50% (90 out of 180) for BDS.
Is MDCAT the same as MCAT?
No. MCAT is a test in the USA. Pakistan's medical entry test is MDCAT, although PM&DC's regulations accept a foreign MCAT for some foreign and overseas seats.
Start here
Knowing what MDCAT is, is the first step; the next is a plan you can follow every day. Register on ePrepare for lectures, chapter-wise MCQs, past papers and full-length papers in the real 180-MCQ pattern, with a progress report that shows how close you are to your target.
Sources: PM&DC press release: MDCAT rescheduled to 20 September 2026; PM&DC press release, 16 September 2026 (conducting universities, question bank); PM&DC press release, 18 September 2026 (who conducts MDCAT, registered candidates); PM&DC: new syllabus for MDCAT 2025 (pattern, passing marks); PM&DC press release, 22 October 2025 (seats, three-year validity); PM&DC: over 140,000 candidates register for MDCAT 2025; PM&DC admissions, curriculum and conduct regulations 2026; PM&DC uniform MDCAT curriculum.
