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How MDCAT merit is calculated, with a worked example
How the merit aggregate for medical and dental admission is worked out from SSC, FSc and MDCAT marks, with a step by step example and what to check each year.
Last updated: 31 October 2026
The short answer
Admission to MBBS and BDS depends on your rank in a merit list. The merit list is made by combining three results: your SSC (matric) marks, your FSc (HSSC) marks and your MDCAT score. Each one is turned into a percentage and multiplied by a weight, and the three results are added.
In the UHS MDCAT 2022 information booklet the weights were 10 percent for SSC, 40 percent for FSc and 50 percent for MDCAT. The weights and the rules for each year are set in the admission policy, so always check the policy for the year in which you apply.
The formula
Aggregate = (SSC percentage x 0.10) + (FSc percentage x 0.40) + (MDCAT percentage x 0.50)
Use the percentage of each result, not the raw marks. A percentage is your marks divided by the total marks, multiplied by 100.
Worked example
A student has 1020 out of 1100 in SSC, 1000 out of 1100 in FSc and 160 out of 180 in MDCAT.
| Result | Marks | Percentage | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSC | 1020 / 1100 | 92.73 | 10% | 9.27 |
| FSc | 1000 / 1100 | 90.91 | 40% | 36.36 |
| MDCAT | 160 / 180 | 88.89 | 50% | 44.44 |
| Aggregate | 90.08 |
What counts in the MDCAT
The UHS MDCAT 2025 information guide describes a paper of 180 multiple choice questions in 3 hours with no negative marking. The minimum pass marks are 55 percent for medical college admission and 50 percent for dental college admission. Passing the test does not mean admission, because your place depends on your rank in the merit list.
The subject weights in that guide were Biology 45 percent (81 questions), Chemistry 25 percent (45), Physics 20 percent (36), English 5 percent (9) and Logical Reasoning 5 percent (9).
Common mistakes
- Using raw marks instead of percentages in the formula.
- Using last year's weights without checking the policy for the current year.
- Forgetting that the three results must each be a percentage of their own total marks.
- Rounding each result early. Keep two decimal places until the final answer.
- Assuming that the minimum pass mark is the same for medical and dental. The 2025 guide gives 55 percent and 50 percent.
What to do next
- Find your SSC, FSc and MDCAT marks and write down each total.
- Work out each percentage to two decimal places.
- Apply the weights from the admission policy for your year.
- Compare your aggregate with the closing merit of earlier years for the colleges you want, and then practise with the MDCAT questions and the mock test on this site.
Where this comes from
- UHS, MDCAT 2022 Information Booklet: the weightage of SSC, FSc and MDCAT in the merit formula for that year.
- UHS, MDCAT 2025 Information Guide: the number of questions, duration, minimum pass marks and subject weights.
- Always confirm the figures for your own year in the admission policy and in the notices of UHS and PM&DC.