PMDC introduces new MBBS and BDS admission regulations for 2026-27

What was announced

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has introduced the Medical and Dental (Admissions, Curriculum and Conduct) Policy and Regulations 2026 for the 2026-27 academic session [2]. These regulations apply to all PMDC-recognized undergraduate medical and dental programmes and accredited teaching hospitals across Pakistan, replacing the 2025 regulations [2].

Admissions are divided into three categories: open merit, self-finance/overseas Pakistanis/dual nationals (expatriates), and foreign students [2].

Seat allocations and quotas include:

• Self-finance and expatriate seats: 15 per cent of a college’s approved allocation [2].
• Foreign student seats: 10 per cent, divided equally between public and private institutions [2].
• Disability quota: Public colleges may allocate up to 5 per cent of seats to candidates with disabilities [2].
• Unused seats from these categories cannot be carried forward to the next year [2].

Eligibility for open-merit candidates requires passing the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT), securing at least 60 per cent in the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) or equivalent, and passing Biology and Chemistry along with either Physics or Mathematics [2]. The merit formula is calculated as follows:

• 50 per cent: MDCAT
• 40 per cent: HSSC or equivalent
• 10 per cent: Matriculation or equivalent [2].

Key deadlines and dates include:

• September 1: Deadline for institutions to announce final merit and admission criteria and submit them to PMDC [2].
• December 15: Deadline for public medical colleges to publish merit lists [2].
• December 31: Final admission deadline for public medical colleges [2].
• January 10: Deadline for special-category admissions in public medical colleges [2].
• January 31: Final admission deadline for private medical colleges [2].
• February 10: Deadline for public dental colleges to publish merit lists [2].
• February 15: Final admission deadline for public dental colleges [2].
• February 28: Final admission deadline for private dental colleges and completion of special-category admissions for public dental colleges [2].

Provincial governments, Gilgit-Baltistan, and the Islamabad Capital Territory are required to conduct a single admission test for public and private institutions in their jurisdictions on PMDC-approved dates [2]. The National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) will oversee admissions for colleges administered by the armed forces [2].

Regarding house jobs, graduates whose final professional exams and programme completion are verified by their universities may obtain a provisional licence for training at PMDC-recognized hospitals [2]. However, foreign nationals using the foreigners’ quota are not eligible for a provisional licence, house jobs, internships, or clinical practice in Pakistan [2].