ISLAMABAD, Oct 27 (APP):The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has introduced new regulations for MBBS and BDS admissions for the 2026-27 academic session, revising eligibility criteria, merit calculations, seat quotas and admission deadlines for public and private medical and dental colleges.
The Medical and Dental (Admissions, Curriculum and Conduct) Policy and Regulations 2026 will apply to all PMDC-recognized undergraduate medical and dental programmes and accredited teaching hospitals across Pakistan.
The new framework replaces the 2025 regulations, while proceedings and actions initiated under the previous rules will continue to be governed by them.
Under the revised policy, admissions will be offered through three categories included open merit, self-finance/overseas Pakistanis/dual nationals (expatriates), and foreign students.
Self-Finance and expatriate seats will account for 15 per cent of a college’s approved seat allocation, while foreign students’ seats will constitute 10 per cent, divided equally between public and private institutions.
These seats will be additional to the approved allocation, and unused seats cannot be carried forward to subsequent admission years.
For open-merit admissions, candidates must pass the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT), secure at least 60 per cent marks in the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) or equivalent qualification, and pass Biology and Chemistry, along with either Physics or Mathematics.
The merit formula will assign 50 per cent weightage to MDCAT, 40 per cent to HSSC or equivalent qualifications, and 10 per cent to Matriculation or equivalent qualifications. Private colleges will follow the same weightage formula and publicly announce their admission criteria.
The regulations require provincial governments, Gilgit-Baltistan and the Islamabad Capital Territory to conduct a single admission test for public and private institutions within their respective jurisdictions, on dates approved by PMDC.
The National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) will oversee admissions to medical and dental colleges administered by the armed forces.
All admissions must be processed through online portals to ensure transparency.
Institutions are required to announce their final merit and admission criteria by September 1 each year and submit them to PMDC. Final merit and admission lists must also be provided to the council on the date of issuance.
The regulations set December 31 as the final admission deadline for public medical colleges, January 31 for private medical colleges, February 15 for public dental colleges and February 28 for private dental colleges, unless PMDC announces otherwise.
For public medical colleges, merit lists must be published by December 15, while admissions to special-category seats must be completed by January 10.
Public dental colleges must publish merit lists by February 10 and complete special-category admissions by February 28.
Public colleges may allocate up to five per cent of their seats to candidates with disabilities, alongside other legally permissible categories, including applicants from underdeveloped areas and reciprocal or goodwill seats.
Applicants must meet the prescribed academic requirements, and candidates with disabilities will undergo medical assessments to determine their ability to perform essential functions required for medical or dental training and practice.
The new rules also clarify house job eligibility. Graduates whose final professional examination results and programme completion have been verified by their universities may obtain a provisional licence and undertake a house job at a PMDC-recognized teaching hospital.
However, foreign nationals who obtain Pakistani MBBS or BDS degrees through the foreigners’ quota will not be eligible for a provisional licence or permitted to undertake a house job, internship, compulsory clinical training or clinical practice in Pakistan.
The regulations also cover specified matters relating to the admission, registration and exit of foreign nationals enrolled in postgraduate medical and dental training, establishing a revised framework for admissions and professional eligibility.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
