Medical colleges: One entrance test for all, says Mubashar

Exam will have 220 questions to be answered in 150 minutes.

LAHORE:

University of Health Sciences (UHS) Vice Chancellor Prof Malik Hussain Mubashar has said that there will be a single entrance test this year for both FSc and other students.

The test will be held simultaneously in Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Sahiwal, DG Khan, Hassan Abdal and Rahim Yar Khan on September 13.

Prof Mubashar was speaking at an orientation seminar on medical colleges admission test at Alhamra Arts Council on Friday. About 3,000 student and their parents attended the seminar.

He said there would be a single question paper consisting of 220 objective type questions divided into four sections, namely: physics (44 questions), chemistry (58 questions), English (30 questions) and biology (88 questions).

The duration of the test would be 150 minutes. The test would start at 9 am and conclude at 11:30 am.

The VC said that after the test, candidates would also be given an aptitude test and asked to fill in feedback forms. This will take another 30 minutes. He said that because aptitude testing was being introduced for the first time, there would be no marks assigned to it this year. However, from next year, some weight would be given to the aptitude test in the entrance test score.

Prof Mubashar said that candidates who have secured at least 60 per cent marks in FSc (pre medical) or an equivalent examination are eligible to take the entrance test. Those awaiting results, should provide a certificate issued by the principal of their institution stating that the candidate was expected to secure at least 60 per cent marks.

He added that students with the domicile of any district of Punjab, Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan can take the test.

The VC said there is no fee for the medical entrance test. Entrance test kits will be available free of cost at UHS and other public sector medical and dental colleges of the province from August 20. Last date for receipt of application is September 7.

After an application is submitted, a roll number and admittance card will be issued right away. Prof Mubashar said that candidates would be allowed to choose the city where they wish to appear in the test.

However, once a centre had been allotted, it will not be changed, he said.

Prof Mubashar advised the candidates to reach their centres at least one hour before the test. He said the centres would be closed for entrance at 8:15 am.

Candidates were also advised not to forget their admittance cards as nobody would be allowed to enter the venue without a valid admittance card issued by the University.

The candidate would answer the test by filling circles on the response form. Only one circle is to be filled for a question. Filling more than one circle for a question would be considered a wrong answer, Prof Mubashar explained.

He warned that there was negative marking in the test. For each wrong answer a mark would be deducted from the total score. Each correct answer would carry 5 marks.

Prof Mubashar told candidates not to bring calculators, cell phones or notes to the examination hall. “Candidates are only allowed to bring blue ball point pens. Markers and lead pencils are not allowed”, he added.

The VC added that the UHS would upload the answer key on its website the same day. The candidates would be able to calculate their scores with the help of the carbonised copy of their response form which they would retain after the test.

Under the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) regulations, merit of a candidate is worked out by adding the marks obtained in matriculation and intermediate examination and the entrance test in the ratio of 10:40:50 respectively, he concluded.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2011.