KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Thousands of students across Pakistan are appearing in the medical and dental college admission test today. MDCAT 2026 started at 10:00 am and will continue until 1:00 pm.
According to SIBA Testing Services, candidates have three hours to complete the examination. Authorities have arranged strict security and monitoring at test centers across the country.
Pakistan has set up 34 examination centers for the test. Authorities have also established an international center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for Pakistani candidates living abroad.
According to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, 138,160 candidates registered for MDCAT 2026 this year. Another 237 candidates are taking the test at the Riyadh examination center.
Punjab has the most registered candidates. PMDC figures show that 49,199 candidates registered from the province.
Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has 38,841 registered candidates. Sindh follows with 34,233 students who are eligible to take the examination.
Balochistan has 9,923 candidates, while 2,761 students are registered from Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Gilgit-Baltistan has 1,761 registered candidates.
Islamabad has 1,245 candidates. In addition, 237 students are taking MDCAT 2026 in Riyadh, the Saudi capital.
Authorities have introduced strict rules for candidates during the examination. Students cannot leave their test centers before completing the examination.
Candidates must also return their question papers before leaving. Authorities may cancel the result of any candidate who fails to return the paper.
Officials have banned mobile phones and other digital devices inside examination centers. Security teams are checking candidates before allowing them to enter examination halls.
Each province has received a separate examination paper. Authorities have also prepared at least two additional papers to deal with any unexpected situation.
Each paper contains 180 questions. Provincial authorities and designated universities are managing the examination process in their respective regions.
In Islamabad, candidates reached four examination centers between 7:00 am and 9:00 am. Students from different regions reported to designated centers, including NUST and PNCA.
Punjab authorities are conducting MDCAT 2026 in 15 cities. Nearly 49,200 candidates are taking the examination across the province.
Lahore has six major examination centers with more than 12,000 candidates. Around 9,150 female students and 2,880 male students are taking the test in the city.
Punjab University Examination Hall on Wahdat Road has around 4,400 female candidates. Lahore College for Women University and the University of Education are also hosting thousands of students.
Other centers include Divisional Public School Township, BISE examination halls on Lawrence Road and COMSATS University Lahore Campus.
Punjab Safe Cities Authority cameras are monitoring entry points, exits and examination halls. Authorities are also checking candidates through NADRA biometric verification.
Nearly 3,700 supervisory and invigilation staff members are working across Punjab. Officials have also imposed Section 144 around several examination centers.
In Rawalpindi, around 6,240 candidates are appearing at three centers. These centers include Barani University, Postgraduate College and Sadiq Public School.
Police officers are guarding the centers, while district officials are monitoring the arrangements. Rescue 1122 and other emergency departments also remain alert.
More than 16,500 candidates are taking MDCAT 2026 in Peshawar. Authorities have set up 19 examination centers across the city.
More than 8,200 female candidates are taking the examination in Peshawar. Female police officers and other security personnel are guarding the centers.
PESCO has also arranged uninterrupted electricity supply during the examination. The power company has committed to avoiding load shedding on 28 relevant feeders.
Authorities have introduced measures to stop cheating. Officials have banned the sale and purchase of pocket guides and have confiscated prohibited material in several cases.
Sindh has more than 34,000 candidates taking the admission test. Authorities have arranged examination centers in Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Larkana, Sukkur and Mirpurkhas.
However, students in Karachi faced serious traffic problems while traveling to their centers. Development work on University Road caused heavy morning congestion.
Long queues of vehicles forced some candidates and parents to walk part of the way. Despite the traffic, thousands of students reached their centers for the test.
Karachi has major centers at NED University and Dow University’s Ojha Campus. Around 6,000 candidates are taking the test at NED University.
Another 4,964 students are appearing at Dow University Ojha Campus. Overall, around 10,964 candidates are taking the examination in Karachi.
SIBA Testing Services has arranged separate waiting areas for parents. Examination centers are also providing students with basic stationery and clean drinking water.
In Larkana, more than 3,100 male and female candidates are taking the test at the Police Training School. Security teams checked candidates before allowing them to enter.
Sahiwal authorities have established two centers for MDCAT 2026. Around 2,459 candidates are taking the examination there.
Officials are monitoring the centers through Safe City cameras. Authorities have also arranged shuttle services to help students reach their examination venues.
Haripur has more than 2,200 candidates taking the test at two centers. Around 250 police officers, including female personnel, are providing security.
Walk-through gates and additional security checks are also in place. The district administration has introduced a special traffic plan for examination day.
MDCAT 2026 plays a major role in admissions to medical and dental colleges across Pakistan. Students compete for limited seats in public and private institutions through this national admission process.
Authorities have focused on security, transparency, and smooth management at examination centers. Officials expect the testing process to conclude by 1:00 pm at most centers.
