In an unprecedented move to ensure transparency and combat potential paper leaks, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) has introduced structural changes to the upcoming Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2026. Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal confirmed that each province has been allocated at least two entirely separate question papers for this year's exam.
During a press conference at the PM&DC headquarters in Islamabad, the Federal Health Minister emphasized that while PM&DC is responsible for devising the uniform syllabus, formulating the question bank, and handling registrations, the actual execution and security of the test now strictly fall on the designated provincial universities.
⚡ MDCAT 2026 Quick Reference & Security Framework
| Operational Metric | Official PM&DC Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Date | September 20, 2026 |
| Registered Candidates | 138,160 Nationwide & International |
| Test Centers | 34 Cities across Pakistan + 1 International (Riyadh, KSA) |
| Question Bank Size | 8,000 Questions formulated by 80 Subject Experts |
| Paper Format | 180 Questions per paper |
| Provincial Allocation | Minimum 2 Separate Question Papers per Province |
Zero Tolerance for Leaks: Universities Held Accountable
To eliminate the malpractices and widespread paper leaks that have plagued MDCAT examinations in recent years, the Ministry has mandated a decentralized accountability system.
The Minister clarified that respective testing universities across all provinces will maintain total jurisdiction and liability for:
- Printing and securely storing the examination papers.
- Transporting the sealed papers to test centers under strict supervision.
- Executing the examination fairly and releasing the final results.
"In case of a paper leakage or any failure to uphold transparent testing standards, the concerned provincial university will face absolute accountability for compromising the examination process," stated Syed Mustafa Kamal.
What Candidates Need to Know
With test day rapidly approaching on September 20, 2026, candidates should be aware that differing question papers within the same province will be fundamentally equated to ensure standard difficulty. PM&DC has previously confirmed that candidate data has been fully synchronized with the respective universities to streamline entry procedures.
Candidates are advised to frequently check their emails and the respective university portals for the most up-to-date roll number slips and test center assignments, and to strictly follow the prohibited items policy inside examination halls.
News coverage sourced and synthesized from ProPakistani Education reporting and PM&DC briefings.
Source: ProPakistani