In a significant policy shift, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has granted universities across the country the authority to reduce the minimum passing percentage for the Medical and Dental College Admission Test for the 2025–26 academic session. The decision is aimed at addressing the growing number of unfilled seats in MBBS and BDS programs.
According to an official notification, the move comes after recommendations from parliamentary health committees, which raised concerns over vacant seats in medical and dental colleges despite a large number of applicants each year. The council has allowed institutions to lower the MDCAT passing threshold by up to three percent, setting revised minimum scores at 52 percent for MBBS and 47 percent for BDS programs. This relaxation, however, will only apply if seats remain unfilled after exhausting all candidates who meet the existing admission criteria.
The regulatory body has made it clear that admissions already completed under the Admission Regulations 2025 will remain valid and unaffected by the new directive. Universities have also been instructed to prioritize students already included in the eligible candidate pool before implementing the reduced passing criteria, particularly when filling vacancies in private institutions.
The council emphasized that the concession is a one-time measure strictly limited to the 2025–26 academic session, with merit and transparency continuing to serve as the foundation of the admissions process. Alongside this decision, the PMDC has encouraged private medical and dental colleges to reconsider their tuition fee structures and explore reductions to make medical education more accessible for deserving students.
The deadline for completing admissions has been set for April 15, 2026, with provincial health departments and universities directed to ensure full compliance with the updated guidelines.
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Despite the intended benefits, the decision has sparked debate among education experts and stakeholders. Critics argue that lowering the MDCAT passing percentage could risk compromising academic standards and potentially impact the global reputation of Pakistani medical graduates. In response, a PMDC spokesperson maintained that all policy changes undergo thorough review and are implemented only after formal approval by the council, ensuring that standards are not undermined.
