The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has postponed the National Registration Examination (NRE) Step-1, originally scheduled for October 11, for approximately 8,600 Pakistani graduates who completed their MBBS or BDS degrees abroad, amid fears that road closures could prevent candidates from reaching the examination venue.
The examination will now be held on November 8, according to a public notice issued by the PMDC's examinations department. PMDC officials stated that the candidates had completed medical and dental education in more than 20 countries and were due to appear in the first step of the NRE, which is mandatory for foreign-qualified Pakistani doctors and dentists before they can obtain registration to practice in the country.
They noted that a number of candidates had raised concerns that the prevailing political situation, uncertainty over possible protests, and closures of major roads could make it difficult or impossible for them to travel to the examination center on October 11. These concerns arose in the context of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) planned long march and the possibility of disruptions to traffic routes leading to Islamabad and Rawalpindi, where the examination arrangements are being made.
In its public notice dated October 5, the PMDC stated that the NRE Step-1 examination scheduled for Sunday, October 11, 2026, had been rescheduled to Sunday, November 8, 2026, due to "unavoidable circumstances." The notice requested candidates to keep visiting the PMDC website for further details. The notice was issued by the registration officer of the council's examinations department and circulated to the registrar and controller of examinations of the National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, among other officials.
PMDC officials explained that postponing the examination was intended to ensure that candidates from different parts of the country were not disadvantaged by possible travel restrictions, blockades, or uncertainty on the day of the test. They emphasized that the NRE is a compulsory licensing examination for Pakistani nationals who obtain medical or dental qualifications from foreign institutions and subsequently seek registration with the PMDC to work as doctors or dentists in Pakistan.
The examination is conducted in stages to assess whether graduates trained abroad meet the professional knowledge and competency standards required for medical and dental practice in Pakistan. Officials confirmed that approximately 8,600 foreign-qualified MBBS and BDS graduates are expected to take the examination.
They include graduates from medical and dental institutions in China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Central Asian Republics, the Middle East, and several other countries. The officials added that the revised date would give candidates sufficient time to adjust travel and accommodation plans, while allowing the council and examining authorities to hold the examination under more predictable conditions.