PMDC refutes MDCAT fee hike claim
In a statement issued on Saturday, PM&DC also dismissed rumours of an 80 per cent fee hike as "false and misleading", clarifying that only a nominal increase has been made to cover the operational costs of conducting the exam, including security and logistics.
The council clarified that the fee has increased modestly and gradually over the years. In 2024, the fee was Rs8,000 and for 2025, it has been set at Rs9,000. The Rs1,000 increment represents a 12.5% rise, not 80% as incorrectly circulated on social media.
Meanwhile, registration for the exam will be open from August 8 to August 25, with a late registration window available until September 1, 2025.
The MDCAT 2025 will be conducted in English in a paper-based format, featuring 180 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) with no negative marking.
The MDCAT exam will be conducted by universities nominated by federal and provincial authorities, not by PM&DC itself. However, PM&DC, as the regulator, has developed a uniform syllabus for the exam in consultation with all stakeholders, including federal and provincial authorities.
The council said that it has also invested heavily in developing a question bank based on the common syllabus agreed upon by the provinces.
The fee revision was made at the request of the examination-conducting universities, citing rising costs of paper printing, enhanced security protocols, logistical arrangements, payments for examiners, invigilators, administrative staff and ensuring adequate seating and facilities for candidates nationwide and at international venues.
Moreover, the council said it has taken a balanced approach to keep the exam accessible to all candidates while maintaining quality and integrity in the testing process. The statement added that the council was committed to transparent, responsible and merit-based admissions, ensuring equal opportunities for all aspiring medical and dental students.
The MDCAT will be conducted through the following universities: University of Health Sciences, Lahore (for Punjab); Sukkur IBA University, Sukkur (for Sindh); Khyber Medical University, Peshawar (for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa); Bolan University of Medical & Health Sciences, Quetta (for Balochistan); and Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad (for Islamabad Capital Territory, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and for international candidates in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia).
Candidates must carefully select one city/centre for the MDCAT and complete their application with all required information or the online system will reject it.
The test will be a paper-based, multiple-choice exam conducted in English, consisting of 180 questions with no negative marking.
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