Major Overhaul in MDCAT Schedule: Exam to be Held Just 6 Days After Intermediate Results

Islamabad, April 1, 2026: Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal has announced a significant policy reform in the medical and dental college admissions process. The Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) will now be conducted nationwide just six days after the announcement of Intermediate (FSc) results.
Speaking to the media at Parliament House, the minister stated that the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) has approved the revised schedule. The new system will take effect with the next cycle of intermediate results.
The reform aims to reduce students’ heavy dependence on expensive private coaching academies that have dominated MDCAT preparation for years. Currently, the four-to-six-month gap between FSc results and the MDCAT exam puts immense financial pressure on middle-class families, while wealthier students can afford prolonged coaching.
Mustafa Kamal emphasized that the shortened timeline will save students and parents millions of rupees and eliminate the need for separate, extended preparation after FSc exams. The decision was taken on the special directives of the Prime Minister to make the admission process faster, fairer, and more accessible to all aspiring medical students across Pakistan.
This change is expected to significantly level the playing field, allowing students to appear in the MDCAT based primarily on their FSc preparation.