The devastating flood has submerged thousands of villages and displaced millions in Punjab, with water now making its way downstream to Sindh. In view of the difficulties experienced by students in the affected areas, the exam, initially set on October 5, will now take place on Sunday, October 26.

In a statement, the Health Ministry announced that the decision was taken after consultations with officials from the four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit-Baltistan, at the behest of Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal.

"The decision is in the greater interest of the students," Minister Kamal added, reiterating that the government is still committed to providing equal education opportunities across the country.

MDCAT, which is governed by the PMDC, is the mandatory entry test for selection in medical and dental colleges throughout Pakistan. Approximately 200,000 candidates sit for the test annually, which has frequently been delayed in the past.

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For this year, the test will be held at specified universities within the country, such as the University of Health Sciences, Lahore (Punjab); Sukkur IBA University (Sindh); Khyber Medical University, Peshawar (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa); Bolan University of Medical and Health Sciences, Quetta (Balochistan); and Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad, which will also serve candidates from AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan, as well as candidates seeking to apply through the international center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.