Islamabad: More than 138000 students are set to sit Pakistan’s Medical and Dental College Admission Test on September 20, making it one of the country’s largest single admission tests.

Data compiled by five universities and submitted to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council show that 138158 candidates are registered for MDCAT 2026. Of these, 136095 registered before the examination was postponed, while another 2063 joined during an additional registration phase.

The University of Health Sciences Lahore will conduct the test for the largest number of candidates, with 49198 registered students. Khyber Medical University Peshawar follows with 38841 candidates, while IBA Sukkur will administer the examination for 34232.

Bolan University of Medical and Health Sciences Quetta has registered 9923 candidates, while Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University Islamabad has 5964. SZABMU will also conduct the examination at a centre in Saudi Arabia.

Together, the figures show the intense competition facing students seeking admission to Pakistan’s medical and dental colleges, with UHS Lahore alone accounting for more than one third of all registered candidates.

The MDCAT was originally scheduled for August 16 but was postponed to September 20 following the suspension of internet services in Azad Jammu and Kashmir amid prevailing tensions. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council subsequently reopened registration, allowing additional candidates to enter the process.

The PMDC has directed the universities and provincial authorities involved to complete arrangements for a fair, transparent and secure examination. Preparations include examination centres, security, medical assistance, emergency response and facilities for candidates and accompanying parents or guardians.

The MDCAT is a mandatory entrance examination for admission to medical and dental colleges in Pakistan. For the more than 138000 candidates preparing for September 20, the test represents the next step towards a profession that thousands of Pakistani students compete for every year.