PMDC Denies 80% MDCAT Fee Hike, Sets Exam for Oct 5
Council clarifies 12.5% fee rise for MDCAT 2025; registration open till Aug 25, exam to be held nationwide and abroad on October 5
Staff Report
PMDC has clarified that recent claims circulating on social media about an 80% increase in the MDCAT examination fee are incorrect. The Council stated that the fee has risen modestly and gradually over the years. In 2024, the fee was Rs. 8,000, and for 2025, it has been set at Rs. 9,000 — an increase of only Rs. 1,000 or 12.5%, not 80% as claimed.
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The MDCAT will be conducted by universities nominated by federal and provincial authorities, not by PM&DC itself. However, as the regulator, PM&DC has developed a uniform syllabus for the exam in consultation with all stakeholders, including federal and provincial authorities.Heatwave Forces School Holiday Extension
PM&DC has also invested heavily in creating a question bank based on the common syllabus agreed upon by the provinces. The fee revision was made at the request of the exam-conducting universities due to rising costs of paper printing, enhanced security protocols, logistical arrangements, payments to examiners, invigilators, and administrative staff, as well as ensuring adequate seating and facilities for candidates nationwide and at international venues.
Despite significant inflation and increasing operational costs, PM&DC remains committed to affordability and fairness. The Council aims to keep the exam accessible while maintaining its quality and integrity. It reaffirms its commitment 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 admitting/test-conducting universities:
- University of Health Sciences, Lahore (Punjab Province)
- Sukkur IBA University, Sukkur (Sindh Province)
- Khyber Medical University, Peshawar (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province)
- Bolan University of Medical & Health Sciences, Quetta (Balochistan Province)
- Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad (Islamabad Capital Territory, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for international candidates)
Online registration for MDCAT-2025 for both local and international candidates opened on 8th August 2025 and will close on 25th August 2025. After this date, registrations will only be accepted with a late fee until 1st September 2025.
Candidates must carefully select one city/centre for the MDCAT and complete the application with all necessary requirements; otherwise, the system will reject the application. The test will be a paper-based, multiple-choice exam conducted in English, comprising 180 MCQs with no negative marking, distributed as follows: Biology (81), Chemistry (45), Physics (36), English (9), and Logical Reasoning (9).
The syllabus is available at www.pmdc.pk, and candidates must complete their registration through mdcat.pmdc.pk. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
