The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has rescheduled the National Registration Examination, or licensing exam ( NRE Step-I), for foreign-qualified medical and dental graduates.
According to a public notice issued by the Council, the examination will now be held on November 8, 2026, instead of October 11, 2026.
PMDC said the examination date had been changed due to “unavoidable circumstances.” The Council’s website also lists a fresh public notice regarding the rescheduling of the NRE Step-I examination.
The NRE is a licensing examination for Pakistani nationals who have obtained medical or dental degrees from foreign institutions and want to practice in Pakistan.
Under PMDC regulations, passing the NRE is mandatory before a foreign-qualified doctor or dentist can obtain full registration to practice independently in the country.
The examination is designed to assess whether foreign-trained graduates have the required medical knowledge and clinical competence to work safely as doctors or dentists in Pakistan.
The NRE has two major components. Step-I is the theory examination, which primarily assesses medical and dental knowledge through objective questions, while the second component evaluates clinical and practical skills. PMDC’s examination standards state that candidates must qualify both components to obtain a full licence to practice.
The requirement mainly applies to graduates of foreign medical and dental institutions recognised by PMDC.
