ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has uploaded the new syllabus for the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2025 on its official website.
The test is expected to be held either on the last Sunday of September or the first Sunday of October 2025. The final date will be announced after consultations with admitting universities and approval from the council.
The MDCAT 2025 syllabus includes five subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English, and Logical Reasoning. Students are advised to start preparing according to this updated syllabus.
The exam will consist of 180 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) to be solved in three hours. The paper will include 15% easy, 70% moderate, and 15% difficult questions. There will be no negative marking. The passing marks are 55% for admission to medical colleges and 50% for dental colleges.
PMDC President Prof. Dr. Rizwan Taj said the revised syllabus was prepared in six months after addressing concerns from the previous version. He said the new syllabus aims to promote fairness and standardization in the admission process.
He added that the curriculum includes both subject knowledge and reasoning skills. A national question bank is also being developed with the help of experts.
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Dr. Taj said the syllabus was prepared after consultations with universities, education boards, provinces, and regions like AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan. The MDCAT Committee and its working groups held nine meetings to finalize the content. The first draft was released in March for public feedback.
The final version was approved by the National Medical and Dental Academic Board and the PMDC. It is now available on the PMDC website.
The council said this effort aims to ensure a fair and equal admission process across the country. Students should visit the PMDC website regularly for updates on the exam date, registration, and other important information.
Key Subjects and Format
The new syllabus includes five subjects:
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Biology
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Chemistry
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Physics
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English
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Logical Reasoning
The test will have 180 multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Total duration will be 3 hours. The difficulty level of questions will be:
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15% easy
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70% medium
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15% difficult
There will be no negative marking.
To qualify:
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Medical college aspirants need at least 55% marks
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Dental college aspirants need minimum 50% marks.
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Transparent Process
The PM&DC’s MDCAT Committee held nine meetings to finalize the syllabus. The first draft came out in March, and feedback was collected from:
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Provincial health and education departments
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AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan representatives
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Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC)
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Federal and regional education boards
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Universities and the general public
PM&DC thanked all stakeholders for their input. Many suggestions were included in the final version, now uploaded to the PM&DC website. Dr. Taj advised students to regularly check the website for exam dates, registration, and updates.
What is MDCAT?
MDCAT is a compulsory test for students seeking admission in medical and dental colleges across Pakistan and abroad. There are two types:
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NUMS MDCAT: For National University of Medical Sciences and affiliated colleges
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Central MDCAT: For all other recognized colleges, under PM&DC supervision
Both follow the same PM&DC syllabus.
In 2023:
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NUMS MDCAT was held on September 4
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Central MDCAT was held on September 10
Overseas Pakistanis also took the test in cities like Riyadh and Dubai.
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Conducting Universities by Region
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Punjab: University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lahore
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Sindh: Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU), Karachi
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KP: Khyber Medical University (KMU), Peshawar
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Balochistan: Bolan University of Medical and Health Sciences, Quetta
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Islamabad, AJK & GB: Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU), Islamabad
SZABMU also conducts tests at international centers.
