MDCAT Passing Marks 2026: 55% MBBS / 50% BDS (and the 3% Vacant-Seat Relaxation Explained)

The standard MDCAT passing requirement set by the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) is 55% for MBBS (99 of 180 MCQs) and 50% for BDS (90 of 180 MCQs). Separately, PMDC issued a notification in April 2026 permitting a one-time reduction of up to 3% (to 52% MBBS / 47% BDS) to fill seats that remained vacant after all candidates meeting the standard threshold were placed. This relaxation applies only to those unfilled seats — it is not a permanent lowering of the passing bar, and the standard 55%/50% requirement still defines who passes the MDCAT.

Why the Relaxation Exists

The driver is seat utilisation. Pakistan's private medical colleges — particularly those outside the Big Five (AKU, Shifa, FMH, Lahore Medical & Dental, Foundation) — reported more than 2,400 vacant MBBS seats at the end of the 2025 admission cycle, despite full tuition prices of PKR 1.5–2.5 million per year. The relaxation is therefore a targeted measure for the private sector: when seats would otherwise expire, the threshold for those specific vacant seats can be eased by up to 3%, so fewer seats go unused.

What the Change Actually Does

• For government-college aspirants — nothing changes. KEMU, AIMC, NMC and the other tier-1 publics continue to close at 92–96% aggregate. A 52% MDCAT raw score puts you nowhere near merit.
• For mid-tier private hopefuls — the relaxation is meaningful. If seats stay vacant, a 52–60% MDCAT raw score may come into consideration at the second and third tiers of private colleges under the up-to-3% relaxation.
• For BDS candidates — even more pronounced effect. BDS seats have historically been the first to expire each cycle.
• For repeaters — you can now defer the pressure to be a top-25%-scorer if private MBBS is acceptable, but the financial burden (PKR 9–15 million across 5 years) remains.

The Aggregate Math (Worked Example)

Consider a student with FSc 78% and Matric 85%. To pass at the standard 55% threshold they need 99/180 MCQs; under the up-to-3% vacant-seat relaxation (52%), the floor for those specific seats would be 94/180.

• Aggregate at 94/180 = (0.10 × 85) + (0.40 × 78) + (0.50 × 52) = 8.5 + 31.2 + 26 = 65.7%
• Aggregate at 120/180 = (0.10 × 85) + (0.40 × 78) + (0.50 × 66.7) = 8.5 + 31.2 + 33.35 = 73.05%
• Aggregate at 150/180 = (0.10 × 85) + (0.40 × 78) + (0.50 × 83.3) = 8.5 + 31.2 + 41.65 = 81.35%

Translation: passing MDCAT is now achievable for many more students, but landing a government seat still requires 150+/180. Run your own numbers on the Premeth aggregate calculator.

FAQ

Q: Should I aim lower because of the 3% relaxation?

No. Public-sector merit is determined by aggregate ranking, not by clearing the floor. Aim for 150+/180.

Q: Which colleges become reachable at the new threshold?

Mid-tier private MBBS (e.g., CMH Lahore Medical College, Sharif Medical, Frontier Medical) and many private BDS programmes.

Q: Will government colleges respect the lower minimum?

They must accept that you have qualified MDCAT, but they will continue using the aggregate cutoff to allocate seats. The floor does not change merit.

Q: Does this affect MDCAT difficulty?

PMDC has not signalled paper-difficulty changes. The passing percentage is a separate dial from the paper-design dial.

A 3% cut in the passing floor is a private-college lifeline, not a green light to under-prepare. Model your scenario on the aggregate calculator, see what aggregate you actually need for your target college via last year's closing merits, and prepare to that target — not the new floor.