Students not registered for ECAT asked to visit campus

LAHORE:Despite a surge in Covid-19 cases, the University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Lahore, has directed all such candidates, from across Punjab, who could not get registered for entrance test 2020 to visit the university campus to complete the process.

It is pertinent to mention that the entrance test/ ECAT 2020, which was scheduled to be held on June 13 and 14, 2020, have already been postponed on orders of the Punjab government in the wake of developing situation vis-à-vis coronavirus. However, the provision of token number for registration process continued in the meanwhile.

A press release issued by the university reads: “This facility (of registration) is available only in UET Lahore campus and is for a limited time period which will be discontinued after the announcement of the final date of entrance test.”

It is pertinent to mention that earlier the university had offered this registration facility online until June 3, 2020. However, now the candidates, who could not get registered, and no matter wherever they reside, are supposed to visit the UET Lahore campus for registration.

Similarly, all such candidates who faced some problems during online registration process before the university suspended its online facility and could not get their roll numbers have been asked to visit the UET campus in Lahore to complete the process.

One such candidate Muhammad Usama from Lodhran said he had bought the token for the ECAT 2020 on 2nd June and submitted his application to register the same day. However, he was unable to get his roll admit card/ number online. “Now when I have approached the university via email, they are asking me to visit Lahore for this purpose,” he added. Muhammad Usama said his parents were very concerned because of the increasing number of coronavirus cases particularly in Lahore. He said the university administration did not think for a second that for this task they wanted him to travel 400km from each side and that too amid coronavirus outbreak.

The suspension of online registration facility by the UET Lahore has caused a great concern among the candidates and their parents who have now demanded the governor/chancellor and chief minister Punjab to intervene and provide relief to them.

When contacted, Convener of the UET Lahore’s Admission Committee Prof Dr Muhammad Ali Maud said almost 30,000 candidates had registered for the ECAT 2020. He said most of the serious candidates had already completed the registration process and only few were left for whom the online facility could not be offered.

To a question, Dr Muhammad Ali Maud said the university had made preparations for 50,000 candidates for ECAT 2020. Talking to The News, UET Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mansoor Sarwar said no final decision about the entrance test date was made yet and added that the same would be communicated once approved by the government.