Admission to universities by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has officially been approved to reduce the passing percentage of the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) by a maximum of 3%. This is a one-time relaxation to address the MDCAT passing percentage issue and curb vacant seats in MBBS and BDS programs for the 2025-26 academic year.
This move was adopted in accordance with strong suggestions of parliamentary health committees to make sure that no available seats in medical institutions are wasted.
The Revised MDCAT Passing Criteria
Under this new arrangement, universities are permitted to lower the MDCAT passing threshold if seats remain vacant after all eligible candidates under the standard criteria have been considered. The revised passing percentages are:
MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery): Reduced to 52%
BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery): Reduced to 47%
The PMDC has clarified that all admissions previously completed under the standard Admission Regulations 2025 remain entirely valid and properly regulated.
Priority for Existing Eligible Candidates
To maintain transparency and merit in the admission process, the PMDC has strictly directed universities to prioritize the existing pool of eligible students before applying the newly reduced passing criteria. This priority system is especially crucial when filling vacant spots in private medical and dental colleges. The council emphasized that this reduction is strictly a one-time concession for the current academic year.
PMDC Call for Lower Tuition Fees
Besides the adjusted passing marks, the PMDC has also strongly advised the private medical institutions to think of lowering their tuition fees. Through this reduction of charges in the already limited system, the council believes it will enhance access to quality medical education and increase the number of deserving students with varying financial statuses to their quality education.
PMDC Upcoming Deadlines and Concerns
Health departments and admitting universities in provinces have been instructed to make sure that these new guidelines are fully adhered to. The last date to apply to admissions has been fixed on April 15, 2026.
Although the move offers hope to more medical students seeking to pursue a course, the move has elicited controversy among educationists. Critics caution that reducing the passing percentage of MDCAT might lead to compromises in the quality of medical education and affect the global perception of Pakistani physicians. In reaction, the PMDC spokesperson assured the people that all suggestions are meticulously reviewed and final decisions are arrived at after exhaustive council reviews.
