PMDC has designated 30 venues to conduct nationwide MDCAT on Oct 5: president
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has designated over 30 venues for conducting Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) scheduled for October 5, 2025, nationwide to facilitate candidates and ensure accessibility.
This was stated by PMDC President Prof Dr Rizwan Taj, while briefing Federal Minister for National Health Services and Regulations Mustafa Kamal,during his visit to the PMDC. The minister was also briefed on the deployment of modern digital safeguards to further enhance the security and integrity of the MDCAT process. He also inspected the online registration and monitoring portal, and was informed that 97,028 candidates have already registered till now, with this total, it is expected to reach over 150,000 candidates before the closure of registrations.
The minister also inaugurated the newly-developed MDCAT Question Bank at the PMDC and emphasised that no lapses should occur in the upcoming MDCAT examination preparations. He appreciated that the introduction of the new question bank would be instrumental in minimising errors, enhancing fairness, and strengthening public confidence in the evaluation process.
The briefing outlined the extensive measures being undertaken to ensure transparency, security, and fairness in the conduct of the MDCAT exam. During the presentation, the minister was informed by the president that PMDC’s role is limited to registering candidates and providing overall supervision of the MDCAT process.
The actual conduct of the examination, including paper setting, administration, and evaluation, is the sole responsibility of the designated public admitting universities. The PMDC clarified that beyond candidate registration and oversight, it does not interfere in operational matters, thereby, ensuring impartiality and merit-based admissions.
Commending the PMDC’s efforts, Kamal appreciated the development of a comprehensive question bank based on a common syllabus agreed upon by all provinces and suggested that the PMDC may consider expanding the pool of questions provided to admitting universities to allow greater flexibility in preparing the MDCAT paper.
He underscored the importance of clearly delegating responsibility to provincial admitting universities, ensuring transparency and accountability at every stage. He added that despite several challenges, Pakistan’s education system remains among the best when compared with many other countries. He emphasised that the primary role of PMDC is to develop and provide a uniform policy for MDCAT, while the actual conduct and management of the exam is the responsibility of the provincial public medical universities.
Reaffirming his commitment, Kamal assured full government support to strengthen PMDC’s institutional capacity, digitalisation, and governance reforms. He emphasised that these initiatives are aligned with the government’s broader vision of uplifting Pakistan’s health and education sectors. The minister was also briefed on logistical arrangements, provincial coordination, and technology-driven solutions aimed at minimising errors and ensuring a smooth examination process.
Dr Taj reiterated that PMDC has spared no effort to uphold merit and excellence, implementing reforms that not only strengthen the credibility of MDCAT but also restore public trust in the admissions system. Highlighting the significance of the newly-developed standardised syllabus-based question bank, Dr Taj said that it addresses long-standing concerns regarding regional disparities, creating a level playing field and ensuring merit-based admissions nationwide.
Briefing the federal minister on other organisational matters, the president PMDC received valuable guidance. Kamal suggested that detailed presentations be prepared on ongoing issues to establish a comprehensive framework for the future. He emphasised the urgent need for a fully digitised system for colleges, inspections, and related functions, ensuring efficiency, transparency, and minimal human interaction across all PMDC domains.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025