LAHORE : Aspiring medical students in Punjab can look forward to the entry exams for granting admissions into medical and dental colleges soon. The entry test for public and private sector institutions will be conducted on 31st August in 13 cities.
According to media reports; Entrance test kits would be available at the University of Health Sciences (UHS) and other public sector medical colleges of the province from 4th August, while the last date for submission of application would be 9th August, said the Vice-Chancellor of UHS Maj. Gen. (R) Prof Muhammad Aslam at an orientation seminar on medical colleges admission test here at Allama Iqbal Medical College recently.
It was reported that; The 150-minute test would start at 9 am simultaneously at Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sargodha, Sahiwal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan and Hassan Abdal. The centre of Sialkot had been added this year on the direction of Chief Minister Punjab, UHS VC added. 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 Aslam 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 FSc (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 should provide a Hope Certificate issued by the principal of their respective institution clearly stating that the candidate was expected to secure at least 60 per cent marks in the FSc or equivalent examinations.
The vice chancellor 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).
Quoting regulations of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), Prof Aslam 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 respectively.
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 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 candidates, 61 for candidates of 6 under-developed districts of the Punjab, 01 for Cholistan and 01 for Afghan refugees living in the province.
