Medical education: Tens of thousands appear in entry test across province

Exam conducted in 13 cities; UHS will announce the result within 10 days

LAHORE:

As many as 47,559 candidates (31,149 women and 16,410 men) appeared in the entry test to medical and dental colleges province-wide on Sunday in 13 cities across the Punjab amid tight security. 

The test was conducted by the University of Health Sciences (UHS). The test commenced at 9am across 34 centres in Lahore, Sargodha, Sahiwal, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, Rawalpindi, Sialkot and Hassanabdal and concluded without incident. Candidates had begun converging at the designated venues by as early as 6am. Over 3,700 invigilators and senior officials were posted at the centres.



Scores of police personnel were deployed at the venues to prevent any untoward incident and facilitate the smooth conduct of the examination. Rescue vehicles including ambulances and fire engines were also stationed at the centres to deal with any emergencies. CCTV cameras, mobile phone jammers and walkthrough gates were installed at all the venues.

Comprehensive arrangements had been made for the physically challenged, for candidates’ parents and for parking vehicles. Backup electricity generators were also installed at most centres.

The candidates and their parents expressed their satisfaction with the arrangements made by UHS and the provincial government. Scores of parents were seen praying fervently for the success of their children.

Local Government & Community Development Secretary Khalid Masood Chaudhry, Management Professional Development Department Secretary Nadeem Irshad Kayani, Higher Education Secretary Irfan Ali, Women Development Secretary Amna Imam, Examination Commission CEO Nasir Iqbal Malik, DCO Muhammad Usman and other senior officials inspected the arrangements made for the 9,574 women and 4,830 men appearing for the test in Lahore at the examination halls of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary on Lawrence Road, the Punjab University’s examination halls on Wahdat Road, the Government Comprehensive Girls’ High School, the Government Central Model School, the University of Education and the Lahore College for Women University. Additional Chief Secretary Syed Mubashir Raza and Health Secretary Jawad Rafique Malik also toured various centres and inspected the arrangements.

In Rawalpindi, 5,780 candidates appeared for the examination. The number of aspiring medical professionals in Multan stood at 6,783, 4,757 in Faisalabad, 2,729 in Gujranwala, 2,178 in Bahawalpur, 1,821 in Sargodha, 2,434 in Sahiwal, 1,439 in Gujrat, 1,611 in Dera Ghazi Khan, 1,434 in Rahim Yar Khan, 624 in Hassanabdal and 1,565 in Sialkot.

UHS Vice Chancellor Muhammad Aslam told journalists that medicine and dentistry attracted the most brilliant students every year. He said such students merited a probing, robust and fair admission system. “The UHS has tried to make the process structured and transparent,” Aslam said. He said the varsity believed in affording equal opportunity to every candidate to showcase their suitability for the MBBS and BDS programmes. The VC said entry to the professions was only regulated on the principles of merit, justice, equity and transparency.

Answer keys of various question papers have been uploaded at www.uhs.edu.pk. The official result will be announced within 10 days.

Those who score 82 per cent or above in accordance with the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council’s formula will be eligible to apply for places on an open merit basis at colleges of their choice from October 1 to 10. Application forms will be available at the UHS in Lahore, Multan’s Nishtar Medical College and Rawalpindi’s Rawal Medical College between the dates for free. The first selection list will be revealed on October 30.

There are 3,405 MBBS seats in 17 public medical and 216 BDS seats in 3 dental colleges up for grabs in the Punjab. Additionally, 3,450 MBBS and 855 BDS seats are available across 27 private medical and 13 dental colleges province-wide.  Over 45,000 candidates had appeared in the examination last year.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31st, 2015.