Pakistan Moves to Cut MDCAT Result Validity from Three Years to One

Pakistan's National Assembly health committee has directed the Ministry of National Health Services to reduce the validity of Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) results from three years to one, a move that would significantly alter how students apply to medical and dental colleges across the country.

According to details shared in the committee meeting, Health Minister Mustafa Kamal told members that the ministry has approved the proposal and forwarded it to the federal cabinet for final approval. The committee asked the ministry to implement the change beginning with the next academic year, meaning candidates would no longer be able to rely on a single MDCAT attempt for three consecutive admission cycles.

The change is not yet in force. The federal cabinet must sign off before the government can put the one-year limit into practice, so students preparing for upcoming admissions should treat the current three-year rule as still applicable until an official notification is issued.

The committee took up the matter while reviewing the results of MDCAT 2026 and complaints raised about the examination. Members endorsed the results and urged universities to move ahead with their admission processes without creating further uncertainty for candidates and their families.

In a separate recommendation aimed at improving transparency, the committee asked examination authorities to provide question papers to students after future MDCAT exams. Supporters argue that releasing papers would let candidates review their performance and make the testing process easier to scrutinise.

The proposal comes as Pakistan's medical education sector handles large volumes of applicants competing for limited seats in public and private institutions. If approved, the shorter validity period would likely increase pressure on students to secure a competitive score in a single attempt, while officials appear to view it as a way to keep admissions aligned with current testing standards.