The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) announced on Thursday that the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT), previously scheduled to be held on August 16, would now be held on September 20.

A press release issued by the council said, “On the directions of the honourable prime minister of Pakistan, PMDC hereby informs all candidates, parents, educational institutions and other stakeholders that the MDCAT, previously scheduled to be held on Aug 16, has been rescheduled to Sept 20.”

It said that the decision was taken to ensure the “smooth, secure and transparent conduct of the examination while facilitating all candidates”.

“All other terms, conditions and examination arrangements shall remain unchanged unless notified otherwise,” it added.

The council advised candidates to regularly visit the official PMDC website and official communication channels for further updates and instructions.

The statement also said it “appreciates the understanding and cooperation of all stakeholders and regrets any inconvenience caused.”

Passing the MDCAT is mandatory for admission to medical and dental colleges in Pakistan. Every year upto 200,000 candidates appear in the test and around 25,000 of them secure seats in public sector and private medical and dental colleges.

Earlier this week, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) health secretary had met PMDC officials and highlighted the difficulties being faced by students in completing their MDCAT registration due to the prolonged internet shutdown in the region. PMDC officials had vowed to provide all possible facilitation to the candidates.

Last month, a subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Health expressed concern over increasing complaints regarding the conduct of the MDCAT and its scheduled date.

During the meeting, PMDC officials informed lawmakers that around 135,000 candidates were expected to sit the examination, while Senator Anusha Rahman said the committee had received around 1,000 complaints from students.