Pakistan

Aspiring doctors: Uniform policy being introduced

"It is the obligation of the govt to conduct a central test to avoid multiple tests'" Assad Hafeez

Asma Ghani August 17, 2016

It was also proposed by the meeting that the eligibility criteria for admission should be 70 per cent instead of 60 per cent in FSc exams but no decision was taken. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: The health ministry has decided to introduce a uniform admission policy in all public and private medical colleges in Islamabad soon, according to which, a single test will be held for admissions.

The decision was taken at a meeting on Tuesday
held at the Ministry for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC).

State Minister Saira Afzal Tarar chaired the meeting on uniform admission policy for both public and private sector medical and dental colleges at the federal level attended by all the stakeholders.

Director-General Health Assad Hafeez briefed the meeting about key areas and mentioned the steps needed to be taken for implementation of a central test.

He also mentioned the rules and regulations under which federal government was bound to take steps for a central exam in the federal territory.

Hafeez emphasised that there was a need for system coordination that might be done by the consensus of the stakeholders involved.

“This is the obligation of the federal government to conduct a central test in order to avoid multiple tests and to ensure transparency in admissions,” he said.

After the tests, a single merit list will be prepared that will ensure transparency and merit in federal medical colleges, said Hafeez.

So far, every college takes its own admission test and there are allegations of anomalies and mismanagement besides the students had to take five to six tests, he said.

A public sector medical university will hold tests and all the public sector universities will be asked to do so on rotation, Hafeez added.

It was also proposed by the meeting that the eligibility criteria for admission should be 70 per cent instead of 60 per cent in FSc exams but no decision was taken.

Saira said that the ministry and the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) would advertise as
soon as possible about a central admission test and all stakeholders would upload the news on their websites.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 17^th, 2016.