NUMS MDCAT Challenge: The Entry Test for Armed Forces Medical Colleges
Synopsis
NUMS MDCAT is the entry test for armed forces and NUMS-affiliated medical colleges: 150 MCQs in 2 hours 45 minutes plus a 50-MCQ psychological test, no negative marking. Merit is 50% test, 40% FSc, 10% Matric. Last checked 15 October 2026.
The Challenge
NUMS MDCAT Challenge: A Second Medical Entry Test With Its Own Rules
Last checked: 15 October 2026, against the official NUMS notices: the NUMS MDCAT-2026 notice and advertisement, the NUMS MDCAT-2026 syllabus and table of specifications, and the Centralized Admissions MBBS/BDS Session 2026-27 notice. NUMS MDCAT 2026 was held on Sunday, 13 September 2026, after being moved from 23 August. The 2027 schedule had not been announced when we checked, so use the 2026 timeline as a guide and confirm every date at numspak.edu.pk.
The National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) is the admitting university for its own constituent and affiliated medical and dental colleges and for all armed forces administered medical and dental colleges. Its entry test is separate from the PMDC MDCAT. For admission to these colleges the NUMS test is mandatory, and its score is valid only for the session it was taken for.
NUMS MDCAT 2026 at a glance
- Format: paper-based, one-best-answer MCQs, with no negative marking
- Part A (academic): 150 MCQs in 2 hours 45 minutes
- Part B (psychological test): 50 MCQs in 15 minutes
- Difficulty mix: 20% easy, 60% moderate, 20% hard. In Biology, Chemistry and Physics, 70% of questions test recall and 30% test application
- Test date: Sunday, 13 September 2026, 10:00 am (moved from 23 August)
- Registration (2026): from 18 May, closing on 22 June with the regular fee, and on 19 August with the late fee
- Fee for local centres: Rs 7,500, or Rs 8,500 with the late fee, non-refundable
- Who can sit it: candidates with FSc, HSSC, A-levels or 12th grade, including those awaiting results. Candidates under 18 need a valid NADRA juvenile card
What NUMS MDCAT tests
| Part | Subject | MCQs | Share of Part A |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Biology | 55 | 37% |
| A | Chemistry | 40 | 26.5% |
| A | Physics | 40 | 26.5% |
| A | English | 15 | 10% |
| B | Psychological test | 50 | separate part, 15 minutes |
| Total | 200 | ||
The NUMS syllabus lists 13 Biology topics, 19 Chemistry topics and 13 Physics topics, built from the “must know” content common to the approved curricula. The syllabus describes the psychological test as measuring aptitude and mental robustness for medical study. In the version we read, that section carries no topic list.
NUMS MDCAT and PMDC MDCAT compared
| NUMS MDCAT 2026 | PMDC MDCAT 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 150 academic + 50 psychological | 180 |
| Subjects | Biology 55, Chemistry 40, Physics 40, English 15 | Biology 81, Chemistry 45, Physics 36, English 9, Logical Reasoning 9 |
| Negative marking | none | none |
| Test date in 2026 | 13 September | 16 August |
| Local registration fee | Rs 7,500 (Rs 8,500 late) | Rs 9,000 (Rs 13,000 late) |
| Used for | NUMS constituent, affiliated and armed forces administered colleges | colleges that admit through the PMDC test |
The NUMS syllabus marks Logical Reasoning as “for National MDCAT only”, which is why it has no logical reasoning section. See the MDCAT challenge for the PMDC test in full.
How your merit and eligibility work
The NUMS centralized admission notice sets merit at 50% from the entrance test, 40% from FSc (pre-medical) or equivalent and 10% from Matric or equivalent. To be considered for open merit seats you must pass NUMS MDCAT with 55% for MBBS or 50% for BDS, and you must hold at least 60% aggregate in FSc pre-medical or equivalent, with Biology, Chemistry and either Physics or Mathematics. For example, an applicant with 80% in the NUMS test, 90% in FSc and 92% in Matric scores 40 + 36 + 9.2 = 85.2. Closing merit changes every year and differs by college.
If you sat NUMS MDCAT 2026: the admission window is open now
- Online registration for centralized admission: opened on 13 October 2026
- Regular fee closes: 11 November 2026 at 4:00 pm (Rs 8,500 for open merit, Rs 50,000 for foreign seats)
- Late fee closes: 25 November 2026 at 4:00 pm (Rs 9,500 for open merit, Rs 55,000 for foreign seats)
- Provisional merit list: 10 December 2026. First MBBS selection list: 17 December 2026. First BDS selection list: 21 January 2027
- Classes (tentative): MBBS on 15 February 2027, BDS on 15 March 2027
Why NUMS MDCAT is hard
- Time per question. 150 questions in 165 minutes leaves about 66 seconds each, with no slack for slow chemistry or physics numericals.
- The psychological test. 50 MCQs in 15 minutes is about 18 seconds each, and it is a format most FSc students have never practised.
- Two tests, two patterns. If you also want PMDC seats, you prepare for a paper with a different subject mix.
- An early deadline. Registration opened in May and the regular fee closed in June, so you register before your FSc Part 2 results.
- Heavy weight on Biology. Biology is 37% of Part A, so a weak Biology result is hard to recover.
- It counts for half of your merit. One paper on one day decides 50% of the formula.
Your NUMS MDCAT challenge
Prepare the common FSc syllabus deeply, practise the 150-question paper against the clock, and learn the psychological test format early. Keep your FSc and Matric marks high, because they are half of your merit. The matching NUMS MDCAT solution gives a six-month plan.
Common NUMS MDCAT preparation mistakes
Preparing only for the PMDC paper. Missing the registration window. Forgetting the NADRA juvenile card if you are under 18. Ignoring Part B. Practising without timing. Skipping English because it is only 15 questions. Bringing the wrong pens or an unprinted admit card to the centre.
Related guides and free reading
- NUMS MDCAT solution: a 6-month plan
- MDCAT challenge: the PMDC medical entry test
- MDCAT solution: a complete 6-month plan
- Free chapter: Career Planning, including MDCAT explained
- Free chapter: The Sleeping Brain and Turn Stress to Positivity
Official sources
- NUMS MDCAT-2026 notice
- NUMS MDCAT-2026 syllabus and table of specifications
- NUMS MDCAT-2026 advertisement (original schedule, later revised)
- Centralized admissions MBBS/BDS 2026-27
- Registration portal named in the notice: mdcat.numspak.edu.pk
FAQ: NUMS MDCAT
Q: Is NUMS MDCAT the same as the PMDC MDCAT?
A: No. It is a separate test with its own pattern, date and fee. NUMS says its test is mandatory for NUMS constituent, affiliated and armed forces administered colleges.
Q: Does the 2026 NUMS score work next year?
A: No. NUMS states that its MDCAT score is valid only for the session it was taken for.
Q: Is there negative marking?
A: No, in either part of the 2026 test.
Q: What is the pass mark?
A: 55% for MBBS and 50% for BDS, according to the 2026-27 centralized admission notice. The pass mark is a minimum, and closing merit is usually higher.
Q: Should I sit both NUMS and PMDC MDCAT?
A: If you want seats in both groups of colleges, yes. Each college group asks for its own test, so read the notice for every college you want.
NUMS MDCAT Challenge: A Second Medical Entry Test With Its Own Rules
Last checked: 15 October 2026, against the official NUMS notices: the NUMS MDCAT-2026 notice and advertisement, the NUMS MDCAT-2026 syllabus and table of specifications, and the Centralized Admissions MBBS/BDS Session 2026-27 notice. NUMS MDCAT 2026 was held on Sunday, 13 September 2026, after being moved from 23 August. The 2027 schedule had not been announced when we checked, so use the 2026 timeline as a guide and confirm every date at numspak.edu.pk.
The National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) is the admitting university for its own constituent and affiliated medical and dental colleges and for all armed forces administered medical and dental colleges. Its entry test is separate from the PMDC MDCAT. For admission to these colleges the NUMS test is mandatory, and its score is valid only for the session it was taken for.
NUMS MDCAT 2026 at a glance
- Format: paper-based, one-best-answer MCQs, with no negative marking
- Part A (academic): 150 MCQs in 2 hours 45 minutes
- Part B (psychological test): 50 MCQs in 15 minutes
- Difficulty mix: 20% easy, 60% moderate, 20% hard. In Biology, Chemistry and Physics, 70% of questions test recall and 30% test application
- Test date: Sunday, 13 September 2026, 10:00 am (moved from 23 August)
- Registration (2026): from 18 May, closing on 22 June with the regular fee, and on 19 August with the late fee
- Fee for local centres: Rs 7,500, or Rs 8,500 with the late fee, non-refundable
- Who can sit it: candidates with FSc, HSSC, A-levels or 12th grade, including those awaiting results. Candidates under 18 need a valid NADRA juvenile card
What NUMS MDCAT tests
| Part | Subject | MCQs | Share of Part A |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Biology | 55 | 37% |
| A | Chemistry | 40 | 26.5% |
| A | Physics | 40 | 26.5% |
| A | English | 15 | 10% |
| B | Psychological test | 50 | separate part, 15 minutes |
| Total | 200 | ||
The NUMS syllabus lists 13 Biology topics, 19 Chemistry topics and 13 Physics topics, built from the “must know” content common to the approved curricula. The syllabus describes the psychological test as measuring aptitude and mental robustness for medical study. In the version we read, that section carries no topic list.
NUMS MDCAT and PMDC MDCAT compared
| NUMS MDCAT 2026 | PMDC MDCAT 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 150 academic + 50 psychological | 180 |
| Subjects | Biology 55, Chemistry 40, Physics 40, English 15 | Biology 81, Chemistry 45, Physics 36, English 9, Logical Reasoning 9 |
| Negative marking | none | none |
| Test date in 2026 | 13 September | 16 August |
| Local registration fee | Rs 7,500 (Rs 8,500 late) | Rs 9,000 (Rs 13,000 late) |
| Used for | NUMS constituent, affiliated and armed forces administered colleges | colleges that admit through the PMDC test |
The NUMS syllabus marks Logical Reasoning as “for National MDCAT only”, which is why it has no logical reasoning section. See the MDCAT challenge for the PMDC test in full.
How your merit and eligibility work
The NUMS centralized admission notice sets merit at 50% from the entrance test, 40% from FSc (pre-medical) or equivalent and 10% from Matric or equivalent. To be considered for open merit seats you must pass NUMS MDCAT with 55% for MBBS or 50% for BDS, and you must hold at least 60% aggregate in FSc pre-medical or equivalent, with Biology, Chemistry and either Physics or Mathematics. For example, an applicant with 80% in the NUMS test, 90% in FSc and 92% in Matric scores 40 + 36 + 9.2 = 85.2. Closing merit changes every year and differs by college.
If you sat NUMS MDCAT 2026: the admission window is open now
- Online registration for centralized admission: opened on 13 October 2026
- Regular fee closes: 11 November 2026 at 4:00 pm (Rs 8,500 for open merit, Rs 50,000 for foreign seats)
- Late fee closes: 25 November 2026 at 4:00 pm (Rs 9,500 for open merit, Rs 55,000 for foreign seats)
- Provisional merit list: 10 December 2026. First MBBS selection list: 17 December 2026. First BDS selection list: 21 January 2027
- Classes (tentative): MBBS on 15 February 2027, BDS on 15 March 2027
Why NUMS MDCAT is hard
- Time per question. 150 questions in 165 minutes leaves about 66 seconds each, with no slack for slow chemistry or physics numericals.
- The psychological test. 50 MCQs in 15 minutes is about 18 seconds each, and it is a format most FSc students have never practised.
- Two tests, two patterns. If you also want PMDC seats, you prepare for a paper with a different subject mix.
- An early deadline. Registration opened in May and the regular fee closed in June, so you register before your FSc Part 2 results.
- Heavy weight on Biology. Biology is 37% of Part A, so a weak Biology result is hard to recover.
- It counts for half of your merit. One paper on one day decides 50% of the formula.
Your NUMS MDCAT challenge
Prepare the common FSc syllabus deeply, practise the 150-question paper against the clock, and learn the psychological test format early. Keep your FSc and Matric marks high, because they are half of your merit. The matching NUMS MDCAT solution gives a six-month plan.
Common NUMS MDCAT preparation mistakes
Preparing only for the PMDC paper. Missing the registration window. Forgetting the NADRA juvenile card if you are under 18. Ignoring Part B. Practising without timing. Skipping English because it is only 15 questions. Bringing the wrong pens or an unprinted admit card to the centre.
Related guides and free reading
- NUMS MDCAT solution: a 6-month plan
- MDCAT challenge: the PMDC medical entry test
- MDCAT solution: a complete 6-month plan
- Free chapter: Career Planning, including MDCAT explained
- Free chapter: The Sleeping Brain and Turn Stress to Positivity
Official sources
- NUMS MDCAT-2026 notice
- NUMS MDCAT-2026 syllabus and table of specifications
- NUMS MDCAT-2026 advertisement (original schedule, later revised)
- Centralized admissions MBBS/BDS 2026-27
- Registration portal named in the notice: mdcat.numspak.edu.pk
FAQ: NUMS MDCAT
Q: Is NUMS MDCAT the same as the PMDC MDCAT?
A: No. It is a separate test with its own pattern, date and fee. NUMS says its test is mandatory for NUMS constituent, affiliated and armed forces administered colleges.
Q: Does the 2026 NUMS score work next year?
A: No. NUMS states that its MDCAT score is valid only for the session it was taken for.
Q: Is there negative marking?
A: No, in either part of the 2026 test.
Q: What is the pass mark?
A: 55% for MBBS and 50% for BDS, according to the 2026-27 centralized admission notice. The pass mark is a minimum, and closing merit is usually higher.
Q: Should I sit both NUMS and PMDC MDCAT?
A: If you want seats in both groups of colleges, yes. Each college group asks for its own test, so read the notice for every college you want.