LAHORE – The Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2025 was conducted on Sunday across Punjab by the University of Health Sciences (UHS) in a highly secure and well-coordinated environment.
The large-scale examination, held in 12 cities at 27 centres, saw 50,461 candidates appear for the test that determines admission to medical and dental colleges in the province.
The day began early, with question papers dispatched at 6:00 am to the respective centres under strict police supervision. District administration officials and security personnel escorted the sealed documents to ensure safe and transparent delivery. Examination staff, already on duty at their assigned venues, checked in by dawn, while candidates began arriving around 8:00 am.
All examination centres opened their gates at 8:00 am, allowing controlled entry after identity verification. Candidates underwent body searches, passed through walk-through gates, and were scanned with metal detectors. No one was allowed entry after 9:00 am, when all gates were officially sealed. Security remained tight throughout the morning. Police contingents, Rescue 1122, Civil Defence, Health Department, NADRA, Bomb Disposal Squad, and Fire Brigade staff were deployed at every centre. To maintain order, Section 144 was imposed around the venues, restricting the entry of unauthorised persons and the use of mobile phones.
According to UHS, the test attracted 36,702 female and 13,759 male candidates from across Punjab. In Lahore alone, 11,906 students appeared at six centres, four for girls and two for boys. The Punjab University Examination Halls hosted the largest number of female candidates, with a total of 4,400, while other centres included the University of Education Township, Government Graduate College for Women Gulberg, DPS Township, BISE Examination Halls, and Lahore College for Women University. Participation in other cities was also high, with 8,313 candidates in Multan, 5,824 in Faisalabad, 3,014 in Bahawalpur, 2,665 in Gujranwala, 2,786 in Sialkot, 2,408 in D.G. Khan, 1,402 in Gujrat, 6,910 in Rawalpindi, 2,091 in Sargodha, and 2,688 in Sahiwal.
The examination was monitored by 3,263 schoolteachers serving as invigilators, 165 college teachers as superintendents, and 347 as deputy superintendents. All were deployed after clearance from the Special Branch. The test began promptly at 10:00 am and concluded at 1:00 pm. Senior officials, including the Secretary of Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education, Azmat Mehmood, visited several examination centres in Lahore to review arrangements. He was accompanied by Vice Chancellor UHS, Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore, VC King Edward Medical University, Prof. Mahmood Ayyaz, Principal Ameeruddin Medical College, Prof. Farooq Afzal, Pro Vice Chancellor UHS, Prof. Nadia Naseem, Pro VC University of Child Health Sciences, Prof. Junaid Rashid, and Registrar KEMU Prof. Asghar Naqi.
Federal Secretary, Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh, visited the Government Graduate College for Women, Gulberg, where he reviewed the MDCAT and was briefed by the UHS team comprising Prof. Sidra Saleem, Prof. Asif Naveed, and Dr Usman Aftab. Fatima Jinnah Medical University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Khalid Masood Gondal, was also present as the Regional In-Charge. The federal secretary expressed satisfaction over the organisation and praised the coordination between UHS and district authorities.
UHS Vice Chancellor Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore personally inspected the PU centre in Lahore and expressed satisfaction over the arrangements. He appreciated the efforts of the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department, district administrations, law enforcement agencies, and teaching staff for ensuring the test was conducted smoothly and transparently. He said that to uphold the integrity of the MDCAT and ensure complete transparency, no leniency was shown towards latecomers or candidates with doubtful identities.
“We repeatedly informed through public notices, social media, and advertisements that all centres would be sealed at 9:00 am sharp, after which no one could enter, as the exam material would be opened. Likewise, carrying an original photo ID was mandatory to prevent impersonation,” said Prof Ahsan Waheed Rathore.
The MDCAT paper consisted of 180 multiple-choice questions, divided into four versions or codes with varying question orders to ensure fairness. Candidates were allowed to take the question paper home after the test and retain the carbon copy of their response form. Using this along with the answer key, uploaded on the UHS website by 10:00 pm the same day, students could self-score their performance. Candidates were also allowed to submit online objections to any question by 6:00 pm, which will be reviewed by UHS subject experts before the issuance of the final key. The official result is expected within a week.
District administrations across Punjab set up designated waiting areas for parents outside the centres, providing seating, shade, drinking water, and first aid. Officials from the Health Department, Deputy and Assistant Commissioners, Vice Chancellors, Pro Vice Chancellors, Registrars, and Principals of medical institutions were assigned to monitor the test, along with representatives from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC).
