The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has refuted widespread rumors of an 80% fee increase for the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) 2025. In a statement, the council clarified that the fee has only seen a moderate rise of 12.5%. According to the PMDC, the fee was Rs8,000 in 2024 and has been adjusted to Rs9,000 for 2025, which represents a rise of just Rs1,000. Registration for the test is now open, and the exam is scheduled for Sunday, October 5. The PMDC explained that the fee was adjusted at the request of the universities administering the test to offset increased operational costs, including printing, enhanced security measures, administrative and logistical arrangements, and payments for invigilators and staff. The council stressed its commitment to keeping the fee affordable for all candidates while upholding merit-based admissions, quality, and transparency. It also noted that while the PMDC prepared a uniform syllabus and question bank, the test itself will be conducted by a group of nominated universities, including the University of Health Sciences, Lahore; Sukkur IBA University; Khyber Medical University, Peshawar; Bolan University of Medical and Health Sciences, Quetta; and Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad. These institutions will also cover candidates from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and the international test center in Riyadh.
