In view of the ongoing severe floods across the country, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has postponed the Medical & Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2025. According to the Ministry of Health, the new exam date has been set for 26 October 2025 in the broader interest of students.

  • Current situation: Severe floods in Punjab, thousands of villages submerged and millions affected
  • Original schedule: 5 October 2025
  • New exam date: 26 October 2025
  • Conducting body: Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC)
  • Reason: Challenges faced by students in flood-affected areas
  • Decision made with students convenience in mind
Students preparing for MDCAT 2025 at new test centres in Jacobabad and Islamabad.
PMDC adds Jacobabad and Islamabad as new MDCAT 2025 exam centres.

Ministry of Health Statement

The Ministry of Health stated:

  • The new date was decided after consultation with representatives from all four provinces, Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan
  • Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said:

“This decision has been made in the broader interest of students. The government is committed to providing equal educational opportunities to every student.”

  • PMDC is the statutory body governing the quality of medical and dental education in the country.

Importance of MDCAT

  • MDCAT is a mandatory exam for admission into medical and dental colleges
  • Approximately 200,000 students participate in the program each year.
  • Success in the exam is the basis for admission to various medical and dental colleges in the country.
  • In previous years, the delay in the examination was normal but this time the need for delay was even more due to floods.

Exam Centers and Provincial Distribution

Province / AreaExam Center
PunjabUniversity of Health Sciences, Lahore
SindhSukkur IBA University, Sukkur
Khyber PakhtunkhwaKhyber Medical University, Peshawar
BalochistanBolan University of Medical & Health Sciences, Quetta
Islamabad, AJK, GBShaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad
International CandidatesPMDC Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Floods and Impact on Students

  • In Punjab, the transportation of students was affected due to submerged villages and affected families.
  • Preparation for the exam became difficult for students in the affected areas especially for students in rural and remote areas.
  • Some students had to miss studies and classes making it inevitable to set a new date.
  • Students and parents welcomed the new date as it would ensure equality of educational opportunities.
MDCAT exam

Ministry of Health & PMDC Strategy

  • PMDC announced that with the new date of the examination, all arrangements will be made according to the convenience of the students.
  • The Ministry of Health is trying to provide equal opportunities to all candidates in the examination whether they are from affected areas or urban centers.
  • Instructions were given to organize security, infrastructure and examination process keeping in view the flood situation in all provincial centers.

Potential Implications

  • The postponed MDCAT will give students time to prepare and perform better in the exam.
  • After the impact of the floods recedes, the administration will have the opportunity to provide basic facilities at all the centres.
  • This move by the government and PMDC ensures transparency and fairness in the educational system

The ongoing severe floods in Punjab have significant impact on the education of the country . The MDCAT postponement is a student-centric measure that provides students extra preparation time and ensures fairness in educational opportunities. The exam scheduled for 26 October 2025 will be a crucial milestone for admission to medical and dental colleges nationwide.