Universities, Not PM&DC, Will Be Held Accountable for MDCAT Leaks or Mismanagement, Says Health Minister Mustafa Kamal
Universities, Not PM&DC, Will Be Held Accountable for MDCAT Leaks or Mismanagement, Says Health Minister Mustafa Kamal
ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal has made it clear that the responsibility for any irregularity, paper leak, or mismanagement in the upcoming Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) will rest solely with the universities conducting the exam, not the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC).
Addressing a press conference at the PM&DC head office, the minister announced that all provinces and universities must ensure a free, fair, and transparent MDCAT scheduled for October 26, 2025. He revealed that 140,129 candidates have registered to compete for 22,000 MBBS and BDS seats in public and private medical and dental colleges across Pakistan. The test will be held at 32 centers nationwide, including an international center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Highlighting PM&DC’s major milestone, the minister said that a uniform national syllabus and item bank containing over 6,000 standardized questions has been developed in consultation with vice chancellors and academic experts. “This initiative ensures that all universities can prepare their examinations from the same national question bank,” he said. “If any paper leak occurs, the respective province and university will be held accountable.” He praised PM&DC President Prof. Dr. Rizwan Taj, Registrar, and the examination department for their extensive work in developing the national item bank and standardizing the testing framework.
Mustafa Kamal confirmed that the MDCAT-2025 will be conducted through designated public-sector universities in each province and region, which will oversee all aspects of the exam’s management, organization, and results. PM&DC, he said, will act as the national regulatory authority, ensuring compliance with uniform standards, security protocols, and transparency benchmarks.
The minister emphasized that any university found responsible for paper leakage, syllabus deviation, or transparency breaches will face full accountability. To ensure compliance, he announced that 50 percent of the examination funds have already been released to the universities, while the remaining 50 percent will only be issued after successful and transparent completion of the test. “This decision was taken to ensure efficiency, transparency, and regional facilitation in managing MDCAT-2025,” he said.
According to PM&DC, the MDCAT score will have at least 50 percent weightage in admissions to all public and private medical colleges, will be valid nationwide, and will remain valid for three years. Universities are required to perform both pre-hoc and post-hoc analyses to confirm that no incorrect or out-of-syllabus questions are included.
PM&DC has directed all universities to make comprehensive security and logistical arrangements for the exam. This includes properly ventilated and equipped centers with seating, heating or cooling, drinking water, and jammers to block electronic devices. Walk-through gates, parent waiting areas, student verification counters, and trained invigilation staff will be mandatory. Universities will also handle the secure printing, packaging, and transfer of confidential papers under strict supervision.
The minister reaffirmed that PM&DC retains exclusive control over candidate registration, policy oversight, and result validation, ensuring national uniformity and merit-based admissions. He urged the media to help raise awareness and support transparency efforts around the examination process.
“The PM&DC has fulfilled its responsibility by developing a standardized national system,” he said. “Now it is up to the universities to deliver an honest and transparent examination that upholds merit and restores public confidence.”
