WEB DESK: The Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2025 is being held today across Pakistan abroad, with over 140,125 candidates appearing in the examination organised by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC).
A total of 35 examination centers have been established nationwide, while an international center has been set up in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to facilitate overseas Pakistani students. Registration began at 8:00 AM and continued till 9:00 AM, after which all examination halls were closed. The three-hour multiple-choice paper, carrying 180 marks, is scheduled from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
In the federal capital Islamabad, large numbers of candidates appeared at Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University and Bahria University centers.
In Punjab, the MDCAT is being conducted in 27 centers across 12 cities, including Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Rahim Yar Khan.
Nearly 50,000 candidates are appearing in the province, including 13,000 boys and 37,000 girls, with Lahore hosting the highest number of participants, around 12,000.
Strict security measures are in place, with a complete ban on mobile phones and electronic devices for both candidates and staff. Section 144 has been enforced to restrict unauthorised entry near examination centers. Senior faculty and officers from the University of Health Sciences (UHS) have been appointed to supervise the test process.
In Sindh, the MDCAT is being held at Dow University Ojha Campus and NED University in Karachi, along with centers in Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas, Larkana, Jacobabad, and Sukkur.
Candidates were instructed to bring admit cards and CNICs and to arrive on time. Heavy traffic and ongoing construction work near University Road in Karachi caused some inconvenience for students. Strict security arrangements have been implemented at all centers.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Khyber Medical University (KMU) is conducting the test in seven districts, including Peshawar, Mardan, Swat, Lower Dir, Kohat, Dera Ismail Khan, and Abbottabad. Nearly 39,981 candidates participating in KP.
The BRT service in Peshawar started early at 6:00 AM to facilitate students, as parking near centers was prohibited. Section 144 was also imposed to prevent gatherings and maintain order around test venues.