ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) introduced a new condition regarding the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) this year.
According to the public notice issued on Thursday, the medical council has made biometric verification of candidates mandatory for MDCAT-2026.
“Therefore, all candidates below 18 years of age are required to have a valid Juvenile Registration Card issued by NADRA before MDCAT-2026,” the notice stated.
— Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (@pmdcofficial) April 16, 2026
New MDCAT criteria announced
The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has approved a one-time reduction of up to 3% in MDCAT passing marks to fill vacant MBBS and BDS seats for the 2025–26 academic session.
Universities must first admit applicants from the existing merit-based pool according to the new admission standards. If seats remain unfilled, institutions may lower the passing threshold to 52% for MBBS and 47% for BDS.
The council clarified that this relaxation is strictly limited to vacant seats and must be implemented with transparency and institutional accountability. All admissions already completed under the 2025 regulations will remain valid.
The authorities established April 15, 2026, as the ultimate deadline, which requires provincial health departments and universities to achieve complete compliance or face legal penalties.
The PMDC has encouraged private medical and dental colleges to reduce tuition fees from the current capped limit of Rs1.89 million (with a 5% annual increase) to make education more accessible for deserving students.
The move follows national-level consultations, including input from parliamentary committees, to address the growing issue of unfilled seats. The proposal has drawn criticism from various stakeholders involved in the process.
Some education experts argue that lowering merit thresholds could compromise academic standards and damage the international reputation of Pakistani medical graduates.
Concerns have also been raised about high tuition fees, with claims that some private colleges continue charging between Rs. 2.5 million and Rs. 2.9 million for earlier sessions despite regulatory directions. The PMDC maintains that all policy decisions are reviewed and approved by its council before implementation.
