Punjab Study

Lahore, July 03: The General Council of Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) has recommended that the University of Health Sciences (UHS) be asked to postpone the entry test for admission to the medical colleges until the end of August so that the candidates may have enough time for the preparation, sources in the PMDC said on Friday.

The sources said that the council suggested that the UHS be asked to take the test immediately after the announcement of FSc result in August. The Council members were of the view that the date of entry test was fixed for July 20 while the FSc exams were still in progress, and there would be only two weeks for the students to prepare for the test.

The students at present are on the 2nd year syllabus and traditionally they go through the revision of 1st year syllabus after the exam and usually by joining various tuition centres/academies. It is therefore, evident that the students will not be able to prepare well. In any case there is no plausible hurry to hold the test since the FSc result will be declared towards the end of August or beyond that and holding the test before that carries no logic.

The meeting further said that the eligibility given in the advertisement was a combination of the first year result and a certificate from the principal of the college on the prospects of the candidate. This appeared to be the first such arrangement. Also, thousands would appear and might not have 65 per cent marks qualification when the FSc result was declared. This would become a large exercise without any focus. The UHS data shows that around 14,000 of the 22,000 candidates passed when the criteria was set at 40 per cent passing marks. An in-depth study reveals if the passing marks of 60 per cent were to be applied, the number of successful candidates would drop to 6,000. In 2009, the success rate was 60 per cent with the new criteria it would be 30 per cent (6,000 out of 22,000).

The data shows that aggregate of FSc marks is 890 and the UHS entry test is 672. Thus for a host of reasons, a given set of candidates tend to score 25 per cent marks lesser in the UHS as compared to FSc. Needless to say that FSc system has been evolved over the years and is a better assessment. Logically therefore the UHS pass percentage should be lower around 40 per cent. It may therefore be asked to bring down the previous pass percentage of 40 per cent or evolve a logical percentage in consultation with stake holders. Also, the UHS should follow the minimum FSc marks criteria of 60 per cent as approved by the PMDC.

A review of admissions in the private medical colleges in the last two years reveals that only 30 to 40 per cent of candidates of most colleges achieved more than 60 per cent pass marks criteria. Application of the new criteria as advertised will wipe out 60 to 70 per cent of the prospective affording candidates and leave students/parents in a quandary. With the recent events of Central Asia and few colleges refusing admission in China, the future of a large segment of youth will be jeopardized. The UHS may be asked to revert to the pass percentage of 40 per cent. Doubts have also arisen on whether the UHS is going to follow the decisions of the PMDC General Council on the acceptance of SAT II score of 550 for the Foreign Students and Overseas Pakistanis.

The Council was explicit in its decisions of May 10 where in both the categories were exempted from the entry test. The UHS may be asked to adhere to the decisions of the council in letter and spirit in that SAT II of 550 marks be accepted for Foreigners and Overseas Pakistan. The nation