LAHORE: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has postponed the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT), pushing the exam date from August 16 to September 20, following directions from the prime minister.

In a statement, the council said the decision was made to ensure a “smooth, secure and transparent conduct of the examination while facilitating all candidates.” It clarified that all other terms, conditions and arrangements for the test will remain unchanged unless notified otherwise, and urged candidates to keep checking the official PMDC website for further updates.

The MDCAT is a mandatory requirement for admission to medical and dental colleges across Pakistan, with up to 200,000 candidates typically appearing for the test each year and around 25,000 securing seats.

The rescheduling follows growing concerns raised by lawmakers and students — including from Azad Kashmir, where a prolonged internet shutdown had made it difficult for many candidates to complete their registration. A Senate subcommittee had also flagged around 1,000 complaints from students regarding the exam’s conduct and scheduling last month.