UHS, YDA resent mock test enterprise

LAHORE: An UHS spokesperson said that the Health Department, which is giving an Entry Test 2010 (ET 2010) on July 20, is unhappy about a mock ET 2010 that will be given on July 11 to prepare students for the actual test for the admission of medical colleges.

The spokesperson said that the Health Department will raid the examination centre at the time of test and probe the matter further. Over 1,000 students have paid Rs300 each to take the mock test. However, a Health Department official has termed it a way of fleecing students.

Umair and Sajjad are conducting the mock ET 2010 at Aljannat Marriage Hall at College Road Township.  They do not claim to be affiliated with any academy.

Umair, who claims to be a fourth-year student at Allama Iqbal Medical College (AIMC), told The Express Tribune that registration for the mock ET 2010 started three days ago.  He said that it was a rehearsal test and they had  charged fees from the students in order to meet their expenditures, including rental of the hall where the exam was to be held and printing of the question papers that would be distributed to the students.

The entrepreneur added that pictures are mandatory for male students but female students could sit in the test without submitting their pictures with the admission forms.

He said he expected around 800 students to take the mock exam.  On being asked if he had permission from UHS to conduct this exam, Umair responded that there was no need for it.

Young Doctors’ Association’s general secretary Dr Salman Kazmi told the The Express Tribune the mock test could mislead the students.  Kazmi stated that he considered this entire enterprise a fraud.

He said that UHS should take action against such elements that preyed on young students. He said that Punjab government had enrolled all 32,000 students for ET 2010 free of cost.

Published in The Exprss Tribune, July 11^th, 2010.