Sindh government rejects objections and claims over MDCAT 2026 results
The Sindh government says Karachi candidates performed better than those from other divisions in the 2026 MDCAT. The Sindh Health Department sent its response to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council.
- Sindh Health Department told PM&DC that district-wise data does not support claims of poor Karachi performance
- 33,336 candidates appeared across Sindh; Karachi's average score was 107.67 marks
- PMDC had written on October 5 asking for an inquiry report within two weeks
The Sindh government has rejected objections and claims about the 2026 Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT). It maintains that candidates from Karachi performed better than students from other divisions of the province.
According to sources, the Sindh Health Department has sent its response to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC). The letter rejects claims that Karachi students did poorly and says an analysis of results and district-wise data does not support such allegations.
The department said 33,336 candidates sat the test across Sindh, and 57.96 per cent of them scored 90 or more marks. Karachi had the highest performance among the divisions, with an average of 107.67 marks, the letter said.
Of 9,505 candidates from Karachi, 66.98 per cent scored 90 or more marks and 57.78 per cent scored 99 or more, according to the department's figures. For other divisions, it cited shares scoring 90 or more: 55.04 per cent in Sukkur, 54.50 per cent in Larkana, 53.62 per cent in Shaheed Benazirabad and 52.34 per cent in Hyderabad.
The department said all districts of Karachi were among the nine best-performing districts in Sindh. It said its assessment relied on data compiled by Sukkur IBA Testing Services (STS), which conducted the MDCAT in previous years and published candidates' marks and domicile details to promote transparency.
The Sindh government said seats in public medical colleges are allocated district by district under the admission rules, and Karachi's seats are reserved for candidates with the relevant Karachi domicile. It said higher scores by candidates from other districts would not change the allocation of Karachi's seats. It also noted that students from different districts may prepare in major cities such as Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana.
The department argued that candidates should not be viewed with suspicion only because they scored higher on the basis of domicile. It urged that the results not be made controversial for political purposes.
The response follows a PMDC letter to the Sindh Health Department on October 5 about concerns over the MDCAT. The council asked the province to investigate the allegations and report within two weeks. The federal government had also sought an independent and transparent inquiry. Complaints on social media alleged the paper had been leaked, and lawmakers raised concerns over the exam's credibility and transparency.
Why it matters
The MDCAT decides medical college admissions for thousands of students, so disputes over its fairness concern their families. The reported seat allocation by district domicile bears directly on candidates in Karachi and other Sindh divisions.
