LAHORE: The Punjab government has finalised a comprehensive security and administrative plan for the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT), which will be held on September 20 in 15 major cities. More than 49,000 candidates are expected to take the test at 31 examination centres.
The plan was reviewed and approved at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman at the Civil Secretariat on Wednesday.
To ensure transparency and stop impersonation, all examination centres will be monitored round the clock through the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) CCTV network.
The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) will carry out real-time, on-the-spot biometric verification of every candidate entering the exam halls. Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure will also be enforced around all exam centres on September 20.
The chief secretary directed divisional commissioners to ensure full compliance with safety protocols, including walk-through gates and scanners, uninterrupted power supply and fully equipped medical camps for emergencies.
He also told authorities to arrange shaded waiting areas with cold drinking water for parents accompanying candidates, a common concern at large entrance tests where families wait outside for hours.
The test, organised by the University of Health Sciences (UHS), will be held in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala, Bahawalnagar, Mianwali, Layyah, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal, Sialkot and Gujrat.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary for Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education, the Secretary for School Education, the Additional IG Operations, the Managing Director of the PSCA and other senior officials. All divisional commissioners joined by video link.
The MDCAT decides admission to public and private medical and dental colleges, making it one of the most competitive tests in the country. With tens of thousands of candidates competing for a limited number of seats, every mark counts, and the fairness of the test directly affects students’ futures.
Past entrance tests in Pakistan have faced problems with impersonation, leaked papers and cheating aids. Linking candidates’ identity to NADRA’s biometric records at the door and monitoring halls through the Safe City network are meant to close these gaps and reassure honest candidates that they are competing on equal terms.
Enforcing Section 144 around the centres is intended to prevent crowding and any attempt to disrupt the test. Section 144 is already in force across Punjab until September 17 under a separate order.
The plan brings together several institutions: UHS runs the test, NADRA verifies identities, the PSCA provides surveillance, the police handle security and district administrations manage logistics and facilities. Divisional commissioners will be responsible for making sure each centre is ready, and senior health and education officials will oversee arrangements. Officials say this kind of coordination is needed to run a single-day test for tens of thousands of candidates across 15 districts without disruption.
Candidates should reach their centres well before reporting time to allow for biometric verification and security screening, carry the required identification and admission documents, and follow UHS instructions on items allowed inside the hall. Parents should plan for waiting times and traffic around exam centres on the morning of the test.
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