Information checked: 21 October 2026.
NUMS MDCAT has its own specification. The official 2026 syllabus separates the academic Paper I from a psychological Paper II. Students preparing for both NUMS and PMDC MDCAT should keep separate paper patterns and syllabus checklists.
Paper I and Paper II
| Component | Questions |
|---|---|
| Biology — Paper I | 55 |
| Chemistry — Paper I | 40 |
| Physics — Paper I | 40 |
| English — Paper I | 15 |
| Paper I total | 150 |
| Psychological test — Paper II | 50 |
The specification describes one-best-answer paper-based MCQs. It prints Paper I duration as “2.45 hours” and Paper II as 15 minutes. Because the first notation is ambiguous, use NUMS’s candidate/admit-card instructions for the exact timing rather than converting it silently into decimal hours. The stated difficulty distribution is 20% easy, 60% moderate and 20% hard.
Official information: NUMS: 2026 syllabus and table of specifications (PDF).
Psychological paper: what not to assume
Paper II is psychological testing, not physiology. The table includes a 5% entry for this component, but the layout does not justify treating all 200 questions as equally weighted. Use the official scoring instructions and issued result; do not construct an admission aggregate by simply adding both raw question totals. A scoring or negative-marking rule was not clearly established from the specification reviewed, so no unsupported rule is asserted here.
Official information: NUMS: 2026 syllabus and table of specifications (PDF).
2026 status and the next cycle
NUMS’s official notice gives 13 September 2026 as the rescheduled test date. That examination is complete. The test notice’s eligibility and registration details relate to 2026; they are not a fresh 2027 application invitation. A verified 2027 pattern or test date was not found during this review.
Official information: NUMS: official MDCAT 2026 notice and candidate instructions.
The subsequent college-admission application is a separate step. Check the current centralized notice for the qualifying test, academic marks, seat category and application deadline. Sitting the entrance test does not automatically submit your college preferences.
Official information: NUMS: centralized MBBS/BDS admissions 2026–27.
Plan preparation around your weaknesses
Start with the NUMS learning objectives, then attempt a short mixed diagnostic set. Record whether each mistake came from missing knowledge, a calculation, a misread question or time pressure. Those causes need different remedies: rereading a chapter will not necessarily fix careless answer marking.
Biology has the largest question count, while chemistry and physics each account for 40 questions. Allocate revision time using both the distribution and your diagnostic results. A strong subject still needs maintenance, but repeatedly avoiding a weak topic will leave the same gap in every mock test.
Practise the two papers separately
For Paper I, practise selecting the single best answer and recording it accurately. Mix recall questions with calculations and short interpretation problems. For Paper II, read the official directions carefully and answer consistently; do not memorise supposed personality answers from an unofficial key. A general MCQ bank is useful study practice but should not be described as a validated reproduction of NUMS psychological testing.
Use the local question bank for learning and the practice-test page for reviewing performance. Their generated tests are practice material; they do not replace the official blueprint, timings or admission score.
Related guide: MDCAT Question Bank.
Related guide: MDCAT practice tests.
Before exam day
When the next cycle opens, download that cycle’s admit card and verify your name, identification, centre and reporting instructions. Save the current syllabus separately from old material. Check official announcements near the test date, because a rescheduled date supersedes an earlier advertisement.
Related guide: PMDC MDCAT pattern for comparison.