The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has dismissed claims that it raised the MDCAT 2025 fee by 80%. In a statement on Saturday, PMDC clarified that the fee had increased modestly—from Rs8,000 in 2024 to Rs9,000 in 2025, marking a 12.5% hike. The Council addressed growing concerns on social media, calling the circulating figures misleading and inaccurate.
PMDC confirmed the MDCAT will take place on Sunday, October 5, 2025. It will be a paper-based test with 180 multiple choice questions and no negative marking. The breakdown includes 81 questions in biology, 45 in chemistry, 36 in physics, and nine each in English and logical reasoning. The test will be held in English, with a common syllabus developed in consultation with all provinces.
The exam will be conducted by different universities in each region: UHS in Punjab, KMU in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, IBA Sukkur in Sindh, BUMHS in Balochistan, and SZABMU in Islamabad, which will also cover Gilgit-Baltistan, AJK, and Riyadh. PMDC clarified that while it oversees the process, it does not conduct the exam directly. Instead, it supports standardization and integrity by managing the syllabus and question bank.
PMDC explained the slight fee increase was necessary due to rising printing and logistical costs, enhanced security, and staff payments. However, the Council emphasized its commitment to keeping the process affordable and fair for all candidates. It added that the decision was made after consultations with the exam-conducting universities.
Online registration for MDCAT opened on August 8 and will continue until August 25, 2025. After that, late registration—with an additional fee—will be accepted until September 1. PMDC advised students to carefully select their test center and fill out all required details, as incomplete applications will be rejected. It urged students to register only through the official website: mdcat.pmdc.pk.