Medical schools entry tests: ‘Applications rejected on flimsy grounds’

Student say copies of first-year result made mandatory at last minute.

LAHORE:

Dozens of candidates complained on Wednesday that their applications for bachelors of medicine and dentistry (MBBS and BDS) entry tests were rejected on last day for submission of forms on flimsy grounds.

Talking to The Express Tribune in front of the University of Health Sciences (UHS), several students said their forms were rejected because they had not attached photocopies of their first year intermediate result cards even though it had not been a requirement according to the instructions on application form and the newspaper advertisements.

Some said their applications were rejected because they lacked a Hope Certificate signed by heads of their education institution stating that they were expected to obtain more than 60 per cent marks (cut-off point for admission to medical and dental colleges). They said they had sat their intermediate exams as private candidates and could not obtain the certificate.

Those who had sat their intermediate exams as private candidates were required to submit an undertaking allowing the UHS to withhold their entry test results if their result was below 60 per cent cut-off point.

Iqra Khan, a Wagha resident, said her application was rejected because she had not attached a photocopy of her first year result.

“There is no such requirement,” she said, “They has refused to listen. It appears that they just don’t want to accept more applications and have come up with this idea,” she added.

Some students said their applications were turned down on the pretext that they had not attached a hope certificate. They said they had attached the undertaking and added that they were appearing in private capacity so there was no need for a certificate.

Hasan Raza, a Gujranwala resident, said he had 70 per cent marks in first year but his application was rejected because it had an undertaking and not a hope certificate.

Muhammad Tahseen, a Sialkot resident, whose application was also rejected because it lacked a hope certificate, said he had re-appeared for intermediate exams this year to improve his grade.

“I sat the exams as a private candidate. How could I then obtain a hope certificate?” he asked.

Applications of some foreign nationals were also turned down because they had not attached a hope certificate or lacked an equivalence certificate.

A British national said she was told by British Council that her certificate would arrive in two days.

However, she added, the UHS refused to listen to her excuse.

A Yemeni national’s application was turned down because he had not obtained an equivalence certificate for her high school results.

A UHS spokesperson said refused to comment on rejection of individual applications and said students facing problems with application process should have contacted the administration before the deadline.

He said these candidates should not expect any relief at this stage.



Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2011.