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Federal MDCAT 2026
PMDC, SZABMU/FMDC and NUMS routes for 5 federal-area medical colleges — eligibility, closing merit, past papers and admissions guide. Updated 2026.
Last updated July 2026
MDCAT 2026 registration is open: applications run 22 June – 8 July 2026 (Rs 9,000; late until 13 July at Rs 13,000) on mdcat.pmdc.pk. The national MDCAT 2026 test is on Sunday, 16 August 2026. Full dates, fee & how to apply →
Federal-area medical admissions run through three parallel pathways: PMDC MDCAT (used by Shifa & SZABMU), the SZABMU/FMDC consortium for nationwide-quota seats at FMC Islamabad, and the NUMS entry test for Army Medical College and CMH-affiliated colleges. FMC Islamabad's FMDC consortium consistently has Pakistan's highest closing merit (Source: SZABMU, NUMS, PMDC, 2024).
- Conducting bodies — PMDC (national MDCAT), SZABMU/FMDC (consortium), NUMS (entry test).
- Eligibility — Pakistani citizen + 60% FSc Pre-Medical (NUMS uses 50/50 formula).
- Aggregate formula — 10% Matric + 40% FSc + 50% MDCAT (PMDC); NUMS = 50% FSc + 50% NUMS test.
- Top college — Federal Medical College (SZABMU) (96.76% closing merit, 2024).
- 5 profiled federal-area medical & dental colleges with ~625+ combined seats.
Source: SZABMU, NUMS & PMDC admissions notifications, 2024.
Federal MDCAT 2026 Quick Facts
- Conducting bodies
- PMDC + SZABMU/FMDC + NUMS
- Eligibility
- Pakistani citizen, 60% FSc
- Total seats (profiled)
- ~625+ MBBS/BDS
- Top college
- FMC — 96.76%
- PMDC formula
- 10% Matric + 40% FSc + 50% MDCAT
- NUMS formula
- 50% FSc + 50% NUMS test
- Profiled colleges
- 5
Federal-Area Medical Colleges (5 total)
Army Medical College
Rawalpindi
Federal Medical College (SZABMU)
Islamabad
Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University
Islamabad
National University of Medical Sciences
Rawalpindi
Shifa College of Medicine
Islamabad
Federal & FMDC Past Papers
Federal & FMDC MDCAT past papers, NUMS-style drills, and answer keys for capital-area aspirants.
Open Federal Past Papers →MDCAT 2026 Syllabus for Federal-Area Colleges
The MDCAT 2026 syllabus is national and identical across Pakistan — it is set by PMDC, so candidates targeting FMC Islamabad (FMDC consortium) or Shifa prepare exactly the same syllabus as in any province. There is no separate “federal syllabus”. What differs in the capital is the admission route: the PMDC-MDCAT route uses the national syllabus, while NUMS sets its own separate entry test for Army Medical College and CMH-affiliated colleges.
PMDC MDCAT 2026 subject breakdown
- Biology
- 81 MCQs (45%)
- Chemistry
- 45 MCQs (25%)
- Physics
- 36 MCQs (20%)
- English
- 9 MCQs (5%)
- Logical Reasoning
- 9 MCQs (5%)
Source: PMDC national MDCAT 2026 syllabus. The NUMS entry test follows its own separate pattern.
For the complete chapter-by-chapter breakdown across all 64 chapters, see the MDCAT 2026 syllabus guide. Estimate your route-specific merit with the FMDC or NUMS calculators.
Closing Merit Trends — Federal-Area Colleges
| College | City | Closing Merit | Test Route | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FMC | Islamabad | 96.76% | SZABMU | 2024 |
| AMC | Rawalpindi | 94.8% | NUMS | 2024 |
| SZABMU | Islamabad | 94.48% | SZABMU | 2024 |
| NUMS | Rawalpindi | 93.5% | NUMS | 2024 |
| SCM | Islamabad | 82% | PMDC-MDCAT | 2024 |
Source: SZABMU/FMDC, NUMS & PMDC merit lists, 2024. Live values may vary year-on-year.
Federal MDCAT 2026 — FAQ
Who conducts Federal MDCAT 2026?▼
Federal-area admissions run through three parallel routes: PMDC MDCAT (used by Shifa and SZABMU/FMDC consortium), SZABMU's FMDC consortium for federal/provincial-quota seats at FMC Islamabad, and the NUMS entry test for Army Medical College and CMH-affiliated programmes (Source: SZABMU, NUMS, PMDC, 2024).
What is FMDC and how is it different?▼
Federal Medical College (FMC) Islamabad — under SZABMU — runs the FMDC consortium that allocates seats reserved for every province plus AJK and GB. It accepts PMDC MDCAT scores and consistently has the highest closing merit nationally (Source: SZABMU, 2024).
What is the eligibility for Federal MDCAT?▼
Open to all Pakistani citizens with at least 60% in FSc Pre-Medical, plus a domicile from any province/territory for FMDC consortium seats. NUMS uses its own 50% FSc + 50% NUMS test formula (Source: SZABMU & NUMS, 2024).
What is the closing merit for FMC Islamabad?▼
Federal Medical College (SZABMU) closes at 96.76% — the highest closing merit in Pakistan due to nationwide quota competition through the FMDC consortium (Source: SZABMU/FMDC merit list, 2024).
How many seats are available in federal-area colleges?▼
Federal-area colleges offer roughly 625+ MBBS and BDS seats annually across 5 profiled institutions including FMC Islamabad, AMC Rawalpindi, SZABMU, NUMS, and Shifa College of Medicine (Source: PMDC/SZABMU/NUMS, 2024).
Is the MDCAT syllabus 2026 different for federal-area colleges?▼
No. The MDCAT 2026 syllabus is national and identical across Pakistan — it is set by PMDC and is the same for the FMDC consortium and Shifa as anywhere else: 180 MCQs covering Biology 81 (45%), Chemistry 45 (25%), Physics 36 (20%), English 9 (5%) and Logical Reasoning 9 (5%). What differs in the federal area is the admission route, not the syllabus: PMDC-MDCAT seats use the 10% Matric + 40% FSc + 50% MDCAT formula, while NUMS sets its own separate entry test (50% FSc + 50% NUMS) for Army Medical College and CMH-affiliated colleges. See the full subject-wise breakdown in our MDCAT 2026 syllabus guide.
Where can I find Federal/FMDC past papers?▼
Premeth hosts Federal & FMDC MDCAT past papers in the Regional Federal archive at /papers/regional_federal — along with NUMS-style drills and answer keys.
Try the FMDC merit calculator, NUMS aggregate calculator or prep with 64 chapter-wise MDCAT 2026 guides.
Next steps for federal applicants
- Calculate your FMDC (SZABMU) merit on the 50/50 FSc-plus-MDCAT formula.
- Calculate your NUMS aggregate for AMC and CMH-affiliated colleges.
- Find the MDCAT score you need to reach a target federal merit.
- Study the full MDCAT 2026 syllabus (PMDC, all 64 chapters) before you start FMDC/NUMS prep.
- Compare MDCAT statistics & closing merit or run the MDCAT aggregate calculator.
What students on Reddit ask about SZABMU & Federal MDCAT prep
- SZABMU MDCAT QUERYr/MDCAT_NUMS · Reddit
A student preparing for the SZABMU MDCAT asks whether to study from Federal Board or Punjab Board textbooks, and whether to use the newer or older editions — a common source of confusion for federal-area applicants.
- MDCAT past papers (SZABMU 2023 & 2024)r/MDCAT_NUMS · Reddit
Students discussing SZABMU past papers note they felt easier than academy mock tests, and swap notes on where to actually find the papers — federal/SZABMU papers being harder to track down than Punjab ones.
Premeth's take (verified)
On the textbook question: the MDCAT syllabus is national and set by PMDC, so SZABMU candidates follow the same syllabus as everyone else — the differences are in the admission route (SZABMU/FMDC consortium and NUMS), not the content. Any board's textbook is fine as long as it maps to the PMDC syllabus.
On finding papers: Premeth hosts Federal & FMDC past papers free at the Regional Federal archive, with answer keys — so you don't have to hunt scattered PDFs.
Threads linked are real, public Reddit discussions (verified July 2026); we summarise them and do not reproduce full comments.