PMDC extends MDCAT 2026 registration deadlines for MBBS, BDS applicants

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has extended the registration deadlines for the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2026, giving aspiring MBBS and BDS students across the country additional time to submit their applications.

According to a public notice issued by PMDC on July 8, candidates can now complete their online registration with the regular fee until July 13, 2026, instead of the previously announced July 8 deadline. Applicants who miss the regular registration period will be able to register with a late fee until July 18, 2026, extending the earlier late-registration deadline by five days.

The council advised candidates to regularly visit its official website for the latest announcements and examination-related updates.

MDCAT 2026 is scheduled to be held on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at 10:00am (PST) at examination centres across Pakistan as well as at the overseas test centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The revised registration schedule updates PMDC's earlier notification issued on June 19, which had set July 8 as the final date for regular registration and July 13 as the last date for registration with a late fee.

PMDC has already confirmed that this year's examination will follow the 2025 MDCAT syllabus and curriculum, allowing candidates to continue preparing without any changes to the prescribed content.

The examination remains mandatory for students seeking admission to MBBS and BDS programmes in public and private medical and dental colleges across Pakistan.

As per PMDC guidelines, candidates will appear for the test through their designated admitting universities in the province or region of their domicile. However, applicants holding Sindh domicile may also opt to take the examination in Islamabad through the relevant admitting university. Once selected, the examination city cannot be changed.

MDCAT 2026 will comprise 180 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and will be conducted in English using a paper-based format. There will be no negative marking, and the test will cover Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English, and Logical Reasoning.

PMDC also reminded applicants that the registration fee is non-refundable and non-transferable and cautioned that incomplete applications will not be accepted. Students have been encouraged to complete the online registration process well before the revised deadlines to avoid last-minute issues.