Medical, dental colleges entrance test on August 30

LAHORE
The entrance test for admission to public and private sector medical and dental institutions of Punjab will be held on August 30 in 13 cities.
Entrance test kits containing application form, information booklet and other relevant material, would be available at the University of Health Sciences (UHS) and 14 other public sector medical universities and colleges of the province from August 1 while last date for submission of applications would be Aug 8, said UHS Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof Dr Junaid Sarfraz Khan, at an orientation seminar organised by the varsity on medical colleges admission test here at Allama Iqbal Medical College on Thursday.
Prof Junaid said that like previous years, the Punjab government would bear 50 per cent expenses for each candidate who would appear in the test. Each candidate would be charged only Rs 500 for the whole admission process.
The 150-minute test would start at 0900 hrs simultaneously at Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sargodha, Sahiwal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan and Hasan Abdal on Aug 30.
Candidates would be allowed to choose the city from where they wish to appear in the test. However, centre once allotted would not be changed subsequently.
Prof Junaid advised the candidates to reach their respective centres at least one hour before the commencement of the test with their admittance cards because nobody would be allowed to enter the venue and examination centre without a valid admittance card issued by the UHS. All centres would be sealed at 8:15am and after that nobody would be allowed to enter the examination hall.
Candidates securing at least 60 per cent marks in HSSC (Pre-Medical) or equivalent examinations and having domicile of any district of Punjab, Islamabad, and Gilgit-Baltistan would be eligible to take up the entrance test. Those awaiting results could sit the test after providing a Hope Certificate issued by the principal of their respective institution or an undertaking on a stamp paper stating that the candidate was expected to secure at least 60 per cent marks in HSSC or equivalent examination.
UHS Pro-VC said there would be a single question paper consisting of 220 objective-type questions, divided into four sections: Physics (44 questions), Chemistry (58 questions), English (30 questions) and Biology (88 questions).
A candidate would answer the test by filling the circles on the response form. Only one circle must be filled for one question. Filling more than one circle for single question would be considered a wrong answer. There would be negative marking in the test and for each wrong answer one mark would be deducted from the total score. Each correct answer would carry five marks and the total marks would be 1100.
There would be question papers of different colours codes in which the questions and their answers would be shuffled to avert cheating. The code of the paper would be identified by the first question which would be mandatory for every candidate to answer. This question, which would be marked as ‘Q-ID’, would not be a part of the evaluation.
Prof Junaid advised candidates not to bring any calculator, cellphone or notes with them inside the examination hall. “Candidates are only allowed to bring blue ball point pens with them and not any markers, pointers or pencils,” he added.
After the test, candidates would be asked to take up an aptitude and feedback test for which extra 30 minutes would be given to them. The aptitude test would have no weight on the entrance test scores, said Prof Junaid. The UHS would continue with its “Self Scoring System” and upload the answer keys of question paper on its website on the same day after the test. The candidates would be able to calculate their scores with the help of carbonized copy of their response form which they would retain after the test, he said and added that the answer keys would also be published in major national dailies the next day.
Quoting regulations of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC), UHS Pro-VC said the merit of a candidate would be worked out by adding the marks of matriculation, intermediate and entrance test in the ratio of 10:40:50 per cent respectively. He added that after the entrance test only those candidates who would score at least 82 per cent aggregate marks as per PMDC formula would be eligible to apply for admission on open merit and reciprocal seats. However, this condition not be applicable on those candidates apply against underdeveloped districts, Cholistan and disabled students’ seats.
Around 2,000 students and their parents attended the seminar. AIMC Principal Prof Mahmood Shaukat was also present.
Responding to a question, UHS Pro-VC said that first selection list for public sector medical colleges could be displayed on October 30 as per PM&DC regulations. After the display of first list, private sector medical colleges could advertise their admissions.
There are total 3,022 MBBS open merit seats in 17 public sector medical colleges and 175 BDS open merit seats in three government dental colleges of the province.
Besides, there are 09 seats (only female) reserved for candidates of Sindh, 06 for KPK, 26 for Baluchistan, 49 for Azad Jammu & Kashmir, 64 for Gilgit-Baltistan, 17 for FATA, 85 for foreign candidates on regular fee basis, 76 for foreign candidates or self-finance basis, 20 for disabled students, 61 for candidates of 6 under-developed districts of the Punjab, 01 for Cholistan and 01 for Afghan refugees living in the province.