Criteria change: New rules for medical school admissions this year
PMDC introduces new formula for merit list; no pass/fail for entry test.
LAHROE:
The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has changed the criteria for the calculation of the merit list for admission to medical and dental colleges and the new regulations will apply from this year.
The changes have been made “in order to ensure a uniform standard of medical and dental education in the country,” according to a copy of the new conditions, available with The Express Tribune.
The merit list will be determined by allocating 10 per cent weight to the student’s results in the matriculation or equivalent exams, 40 per cent to the intermediate or equivalent exams, and 50 per cent to the entry test. Last year, 70 per cent weight was given to intermediate results and 30 per cent to the entry test marks.
Additionally, this year the admitting authority may allow an institutional aptitude test or interview which can have a maximum weight of 25 per cent of the total 50 per cent weight given to the entry test.
The pattern of the entry test shall be determined and announced by the Provincial Central Admission Authority. There will not be any pass marks for the entry test and all marks obtained shall be declared. According to the PMDC conditions, the Provisional Central Entry Test must be held as soon as possible after the declaration of the FSc results.
The provincial authority must conduct the entry test and declare the results within four weeks of the release of the FSc results.
Last year, the entry test was held in Lahore in July. “Keeping in the view the new conditions, we have recommended September 13 as the date for holding the entry test in Punjab,” an official said.
The PMDC conditions limit the number of annual MBBS admissions to 350 in public medical schools and 150 in private medical schools, and annual BDS admissions to 100 in public schools and 80 in private schools. Admissions to both private and public colleges must be completed by November 30 and the lists of admitted students must be submitted to the PMDC for registration. There is no minimum or maximum age for admission.
Under the new regulations, students seeking overseas or self-finance seats must also sit the entry test or gain an SAT II score of 550. Only 10 per cent of the seats in a private college can be taken by foreign students. Private dental and medical colleges are not allowed to charge annual fees of more than Rs500,000 per student. If the student doesn’t join classes on commencement, he or she is eligible for a 100 per cent refund of all deposited fees except for the one-time admission fee.
PMDC registrar Dr Ahmed Akbar said that the new conditions would be followed by medical institutions across the country. “No institution will be allowed to deviate from these conditions,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 1st, 2011.
The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has changed the criteria for the calculation of the merit list for admission to medical and dental colleges and the new regulations will apply from this year.
The changes have been made “in order to ensure a uniform standard of medical and dental education in the country,” according to a copy of the new conditions, available with The Express Tribune.
The merit list will be determined by allocating 10 per cent weight to the student’s results in the matriculation or equivalent exams, 40 per cent to the intermediate or equivalent exams, and 50 per cent to the entry test. Last year, 70 per cent weight was given to intermediate results and 30 per cent to the entry test marks.
Additionally, this year the admitting authority may allow an institutional aptitude test or interview which can have a maximum weight of 25 per cent of the total 50 per cent weight given to the entry test.
The pattern of the entry test shall be determined and announced by the Provincial Central Admission Authority. There will not be any pass marks for the entry test and all marks obtained shall be declared. According to the PMDC conditions, the Provisional Central Entry Test must be held as soon as possible after the declaration of the FSc results.
The provincial authority must conduct the entry test and declare the results within four weeks of the release of the FSc results.
Last year, the entry test was held in Lahore in July. “Keeping in the view the new conditions, we have recommended September 13 as the date for holding the entry test in Punjab,” an official said.
The PMDC conditions limit the number of annual MBBS admissions to 350 in public medical schools and 150 in private medical schools, and annual BDS admissions to 100 in public schools and 80 in private schools. Admissions to both private and public colleges must be completed by November 30 and the lists of admitted students must be submitted to the PMDC for registration. There is no minimum or maximum age for admission.
Under the new regulations, students seeking overseas or self-finance seats must also sit the entry test or gain an SAT II score of 550. Only 10 per cent of the seats in a private college can be taken by foreign students. Private dental and medical colleges are not allowed to charge annual fees of more than Rs500,000 per student. If the student doesn’t join classes on commencement, he or she is eligible for a 100 per cent refund of all deposited fees except for the one-time admission fee.
PMDC registrar Dr Ahmed Akbar said that the new conditions would be followed by medical institutions across the country. “No institution will be allowed to deviate from these conditions,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 1st, 2011.