LHC Declares PMDC's MDCAT Question Paper Collection Illegal, Orders Papers on App
The Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench reportedly ruled on 16 October 2026 that PMDC cannot collect MDCAT question papers back and must publish them on its app.
Short answer: The Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench, has reportedly declared it illegal for the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to collect MDCAT question papers back from candidates. Justice Ahsan Raza Kazmi decided the petitions on Friday, 16 October 2026, and reportedly ordered the PMDC to publish the papers on its app.
This is the Lahore High Court ruling on MDCAT question papers. We opened the PMDC website on 17 October 2026. Its notice page had no item on this ruling, and we could not open the written judgment. So every detail below is reported from news accounts, and we mark it that way. If you took the test and want your paper, read to the end for what to watch for.
The court ruled that PMDC cannot hand out papers and take them back
The Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court accepted two student petitions on 16 October 2026. Reports say the court held that a regulator cannot give a candidate a question paper and then take it back. It declared the practice of collecting the papers illegal. The written order was not available to us.
The petitioners were students Rehan Shahid and Anabia Tahir. They were represented by Barrister Imran Afrasiab. Assistant Attorney General Malik Zaheer Arshad appeared for the federation. Reports say the students argued that candidates have a legal and constitutional right to keep the papers they sat. They called collection unlawful, unconstitutional and unethical.
The court reportedly told the PMDC to publish the papers on its app
Reports say the court told the PMDC to upload the question papers of all its examinations to its official app without delay. It also reportedly ordered the ruling to be put into effect the same day. No other deadline has been reported. We have not seen the order itself.
We could not check whether the papers are already on the app. The PMDC website we opened lists a notice dated 5 October 2026 on MDCAT exemption for foreign institutions, but nothing on this order. We have not seen any PMDC response. Look for a public notice on the PMDC site before you rely on any date.
| Item | What is reported | Confirmed by us |
|---|---|---|
| Court | Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench | No, reported |
| Judge | Justice Ahsan Raza Kazmi | No, reported |
| Date | Friday, 16 October 2026 | No, reported |
| Ruling | Collecting papers back is illegal | No, reported |
| Order | Publish papers on the PMDC app | No, reported |
| PMDC reply | None reported | No notice on the PMDC site |
The ruling touches an exam that has already caused disputes this year
MDCAT 2026 has had a busy few weeks. The PMDC said on 5 October, in reports, that the universities which run the test are responsible for preparing, printing, storing and moving papers and for holding the exam. A Jamaat-e-Islami leader asked on 10 October for an audit of the MDCAT fees and for papers to be given to candidates, as reported.
The ruling is about papers, not results. Nothing we read says the 2026 scores will change. If you want to check your own score, our guides to the MDCAT 2026 result and the aggregate merit check are the places to start. The registration rules are in the MDCAT 2026 registration guide.
The reports do not say which exam session the petitions were about
The news accounts we read do not say whether the petitions were about MDCAT 2026 or an earlier sitting. They speak of the practice of handing out and collecting papers. We therefore do not claim that papers from the 2026 test will now be released. We will update this page when the judgment or a PMDC notice is available.
The reports also do not say whether the PMDC will appeal. An appeal to a larger bench is possible in many High Court matters, but we have no report that one has been filed. Until a notice appears, the order is the only fixed point, and even that is reported to us second hand.
- Look for a PMDC public notice on pmdc.pk about the order.
- Check the PMDC app for uploaded MDCAT papers.
- Do not pay anyone who offers the papers.
- Keep your MDCAT roll number slip.
What candidates should do now
Candidates should wait for the PMDC to publish the papers through its own app or website. Do not trust a group on social media that sells the papers or an answer key. If you are comparing the test with admissions, keep an eye on the fee cap for private medical colleges as well.
If you sat the test and want your own paper, write to the PMDC in writing and keep a copy. A written request shows the date. We cannot say how the PMDC will handle such requests, because it has not published a procedure.
Common questions
What did the Lahore High Court decide about MDCAT papers?
Reports say the Rawalpindi Bench declared it illegal for the PMDC to collect question papers back from candidates and ordered the papers to be published on the PMDC app.
Who is the judge in the MDCAT question paper case?
Reports name Justice Ahsan Raza Kazmi of the Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench. The ruling was reported on 16 October 2026.
Can I now keep my MDCAT question paper?
The reports say candidates have the right to keep papers they sat. Whether this applies to the 2026 test is not stated. Wait for a PMDC notice.
Will the MDCAT 2026 result change?
Nothing we read says so. The ruling concerns the question papers, not the scores or the merit lists.
Has the PMDC responded?
We saw no response in the reports and no notice on the PMDC site on 17 October 2026.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
We opened the PMDC website on 17 October 2026. Its latest public announcements were dated 9 October and 5 October, and none mentioned the court order. The court details come from news reports, and we could not open the judgment. We will add the wording of the PMDC notice when one is published.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
