Vice Chancellor of IBA Sukkur, Dr. Asif Sheikh, fainted shortly before the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2026 began in Karachi on Sunday. He received immediate medical assistance. A video shared widely on social media shows him with his head down on a table before he falls.
Rising temperatures at the examination venue also affected several students. A medical team at NED University treated a female student who fell ill, while another female student received medical assistance before the exam started.
Medical staff gave students Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) and juice, and doctors were called to the venue to monitor blood pressure and provide treatment where needed. Reports also pointed to inadequate ventilation, with fans not working in several blocks.
The MDCAT 2026 was held across Pakistan on Sunday. According to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), 138,158 candidates registered across five universities took the exam. Centres were set up in Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Larkana, Sukkur and Mirpurkhas, as well as in Shaheed Benazirabad and Islamabad, officials said.
More than 34,000 students appeared in Sindh, Professor Asif Ahmed Sheikh said. In Karachi, 10,964 candidates were expected to sit the exam, including around 6,000 at NED University and 4,964 at Dow University’s Ojha Campus.
The test began at 10:00 a.m., and candidates were instructed to report by 6:30 a.m., according to Asif Ahmed Sheikh. Strict security measures were in place at the centres.
