MDCAT 2026 Begins Today Across Pakistan, Strict Security at Exam Centers

Karachi: The Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2026 is being held across the country, including Karachi, today. According to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), the test is being held in 34 cities of Pakistan and an international center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Karachi: The Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2026 is being held across the country, including Karachi, today. According to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), the test is being held in 34 cities of Pakistan and an international center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Separate question papers have been prepared for each province, each paper contains 180 questions, and after the exam, the question papers can be kept with the respective universities.

NED University and Dow Ojha Institute were allocated as examination centers for the MDCAT exams in Karachi, where the arrival of candidates started early in the morning. As the reporting time was set at 6 am, a large number of students and their parents were present outside the centers.

A rush of candidates and parents was seen outside the main gate of NED University, while the flow of traffic on University Road also started to be affected. Citizens faced difficulties due to the increased traffic pressure around the examination centers. In view of the situation, strict security arrangements have been made and police and Rangers personnel have been deployed around the examination centers.

According to Sukkur IBA Vice Chancellor Professor Asif Ahmed Sheikh, 9 examination centers have been set up in 8 cities for MD CAT in Sindh, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Larkana, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad and Islamabad. One examination center has been set up in Islamabad.

According to officials, about 6,000 candidates will take the test at NED University, while 4,964 candidates will take the test at Dow University Ojha Campus. Thus, a total of about 11,000 students will participate in MD CAT in Karachi.

The MDCAT exam will begin today, Sunday at 10 am, while the reporting time for candidates is set at 6:30 am. CEBA Testing Services has directed the candidates to reach the exam centers on time. The duration of the test will be 3 hours.

According to the exam administration, candidates will not be allowed to leave the exam center before the exam is completed and all candidates will have to remain in their seats until the end of the test.

After the exam is over, candidates will not be able to take the question paper with them. They will have to hand over the question paper to the invigilator before leaving the center, while in case of failure to return the question paper, the candidate’s result will be canceled.

Bringing any digital device, including mobile phones, will be prohibited in the exam centers. The authorities have made it clear that no irregularity will be tolerated during the exam. Professor Asif Ahmed Sheikh has said that the MDCAT paper will not be allowed to leak and the promise made in this regard has been reiterated once again.

According to CEBA Testing Services, separate waiting areas will be set up for the parents and guardians of the candidates at all the examination centers.

Candidates will also be provided with necessary stationery and clean drinking water in the examination hall, while according to PMDC, other necessary arrangements will also be made at the examination centers for parents and guardians.

An important change has also been made regarding MDCAT 2026 that the mandatory requirement of a juvenile card has been removed. Candidates will be able to appear in the examination even in the absence of a juvenile card.

However, the original mark sheet will be checked at the examination center for the identification of the candidates, therefore, candidates have been instructed to follow the instructions regarding identification and documents.

The authorities have urged the candidates to reach the examination center on time, not to bring prohibited items with them and to abide by all the regulations issued during the examination.