MDCAT 2026 Answer Key: How to Check Your Paper, Calculate Your Score and Avoid Common Mistakes

MDCAT 2026 was held on Sunday, 20 September 2026, after PMDC moved it from the original 16 August date. The three-hour paper began at 10:00 AM. Once the exam ended, thousands of candidates did what they always do: they went looking for the answer key.

Used properly, an answer key is the fastest way to estimate your score, find your weak areas and decide what to do next. Used carelessly, it can mislead you. This guide shows you how to do it right.

Before the exam, PMDC officials said that the answer key would be uploaded after the examination and that candidates would receive carbon copies of their question paper and answer sheet for their records. Reports also noted that:

• The exam was held under enhanced security arrangements.
• Separate question papers were prepared for different provinces.
• PMDC prepared a question bank of roughly 8,000 questions.
• There was no negative marking.
• The minimum thresholds were 55% for MBBS and 50% for BDS.

Universities administering the test in each region, such as UHS in Punjab and KMU in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, were the usual places where question papers and keys were published for their candidates.

Because separate papers were prepared for different provinces, and there can be multiple paper sets or codes, always begin by confirming:

• The province or university that conducted your exam (UHS, KMU, Sindh's administering university, and so on).
• Your paper code or set, as printed on your question paper and answer sheet.

If you compare your answers to a key from a different paper, your score estimate will be meaningless.

After every MDCAT, social media fills up with "answer keys" posted within minutes. Some are careful attempts; many contain errors. PMDC has repeatedly urged students and parents to avoid unofficial pages and rumours and to rely only on official channels.

The safest approach:

1. Use the key published by your administering university or PMDC.
2. If you also look at third-party keys, treat them as rough guides and cross-check any question where they disagree.

Go through your carbon copy of the answer sheet and compare each response to the key:

1. Put a tick next to every correct answer.
2. Put a cross next to every wrong answer.
3. Mark unattempted questions separately (these also help you spot time-management problems).
4. Do not change any of your original responses.

The paper is out of 180 marks, and UHS's result bands run up to 180.

• Raw score = number of correct answers.
• Percentage = (raw score ÷ 180) × 100.

Because there is no negative marking, wrong answers and unattempted questions both score zero. You do not subtract anything for incorrect responses.

Quick reference

Percentage	Marks out of 180
50% (BDS minimum)	90
55% (MBBS minimum)	99
70%	126
80%	144
85%	153
90%	162
95%	171

The raw score is only the beginning. Make a table with each section of the paper (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English and Logical Reasoning). For each one, note:

• Questions attempted
• Correct answers
• Wrong answers
• Left blank
• Rough time spent

This tells you where marks were lost. A student who lost most marks in Physics needs a different plan from one who ran out of time in the last section.

For every wrong answer, write down why you lost the mark:

1. Concept gap: you did not know the idea.
2. Memory slip: you knew it but forgot a fact, formula or term.
3. Careless error: you misread the question or marked the wrong option.
4. Time pressure: you guessed or rushed.
5. Unfamiliar question style: the format surprised you.

Concept gaps need study. Memory slips need revision. Careless errors need slower reading. Time pressure needs timed practice. This classification is more useful than the score itself.

Your self-calculated score is an estimate. The official result issued by the university is what counts for admission. Differences can occur because of key corrections, challenged questions or marking errors on the answer sheet. If you find a question you believe has a wrong answer in the official key, follow the formal objection or complaint process described in the university's notification instead of relying on social media debates.

If you scored well

Move on to merit. Use the DIFF. Merit Calculator with the official weightage and track admission notices, such as KMU's schedule for its 2026-27 MBBS/BDS admissions.

If you are near the cut-off

Check whether a few questions might be challengeable under official procedures, and prepare backup options including BDS and private colleges.

If you did not reach your target

Start your next-cycle preparation now. Use your mistake log to choose which units to rebuild first, then:

• Drill weak chapters with chapter-wise MCQs in Tutor Mode.
• Test yourself with past papers in timed mode.
• Review every explanation, including for questions you got right.

• Comparing with the wrong paper set.
• Believing the first key you see online.
• Subtracting marks for wrong answers. There is no negative marking in MDCAT 2026.
• Ignoring unattempted questions. They show pacing issues.
• Making admission decisions from an unofficial estimate.
• Spreading or believing rumours about leaked papers or cancelled results.

An answer key is a tool, not a verdict. Use it to estimate your score, understand your mistakes and plan your next step, then wait for the official result before making big decisions.

Practice MDCAT MCQs → · Past papers → · Merit Calculator →