PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa took the lead by conducting an entrance test for the public and private sector medical and dental colleges and announcing results within 24 hours.More than 8000 students obtained 60 per cent marks, enabling them eligible for admission to 2,700 seats in the medical and dental institutions of the province. There are 30 medical and dental colleges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.In the public sector, there are 13 medical and dental colleges in the public sector in KP, in which nine are medical and four are dental colleges. Also, out of 11 private medical institutions, including 13 medical and six are dental colleges.Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's lone public-sector medical varsity, Khyber Medical University (KMU) had organised the entrance test. Prof Dr Arshad Javaid, vice-chancellor KMU, was seen takingpersonal interest in holding the important entrance test in a cordial atmosphere and ensured that there should be no unfair means in the examination. He along with secretary HED and other officials visited most of the examination centres in Peshawar.KMU provides logistic support for the entrance test while the Higher Education Department (HED) supervises the whole exercise. The Educational Testing and Evaluation Agency (ETEA) conducts the entrance test.KMU this year reportedly paid Rs300 million to ETEA for the paper setting and invigilation. First time 45 indoor air-conditioned halls were arranged for the students in seven cities of the province.Besides Peshawar, the KMU had arranged air-conditioned halls for the students in Mardan, Swat, Malakand, Haripur, Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan. Previously, the students would need to come to Peshawar, some of them along with their parents or relatives, for appearing in the entrance test.In the past, two centres were established for the residents of Dera Ismail Khan and Abbottabad, but now the students are no longer required to come to the distant places for the entrance test. Every year, the number of applicants aspiring admission in medical institutions, is rising.Last year around 38,000 students appeared in the entrance test and this year 43827 applicants including 17400 female students, attempted the exam. The results are encouraging this year as 18 per cent students secured 60 per cent and above marks (8000 students).Last year, according to sources, 3 per cent students obtained 60 per cent marks. Also, this year, 10300 students obtained 75 per cent and above marks, while last year only 0.3 per cent of the applicants had received the same percentage."The result is significantly better than last year. It is encouraging as on admission to private medical and dental colleges there is no domicile restriction. It is hoped that KP would not lose out too many seats to the students of other provinces especially Punjab," said an official in Peshawar.A section of the media reported that only 17 percent of the students had passed the test, saying that 35,980 out of 43,000 had failed the entrance test. It was in fact wrong as it was based on the first draft which was released by the ETEA.According to sources, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) contribution and guidance proved helpful in paper setting. According to officials of the Higher Education Department (HED), vice-chancellor KMU Prof Dr Arshad Javaid had suggested some "important" changes in the paper to avoid leaking of the paper before entrance test, but were not implemented, allegedly due to resistance from the ETEA."The PMDC should come forward and develop a centralised paper setting from next year to avoid mismanagement and corruption by selling the paper to mafias and resourceful people in future," said an official of HED on condition of anonymity.He said ETEA was not capable enough for the "huge and crucial" task assigned to it by the government. The ETEA is an autonomous body run by the Board of Governors (BoG) with the governor as its chairman.
from The News International - National https://ift.tt/2UbvQeX
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