LAHORE
\nThe University of Health Sciences (UHS) conducted the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT), today (Sunday) at 29 centres set up in 11 cities of the province. More than 67,000 candidates appeared in the admission test.
\nThe question papers and other sensitive examination materials were dispatched to various cities under tight security arrangements. The examination papers were kept in sealed steel trunks. UHS Vice Chancellor Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore supervised all the arrangements.
\nAs many as 19,000 candidates in Lahore, 13,600 in Multan, 4,000 in Gujranwala, 5,000 in Bahawalpur, 7,500 in Faisalabad, 3,000 in D.G. Khan, 1,700 in Gujrat, 3,000 in Sargodha, 2,500 in Sialkot, 3,300 in Rawalpindi and 3,700 candidates in Sahiwal will take the test.
\nThe Punjab government has appointed around 5,000 supervisory and invigilation staff whereas UHS has deputed senior faculty members of the university as head couriers and couriers for conducting the test.
\nVice-Chancellors, Pro-Vice-Chancellors, principals, and senior faculty members of government medical institutions in relevant cities will monitor the examination while officers of the Specialized Health Care and Medical Education department, deputy commissioners will supervise the arrangements.
\nSection 144 has been imposed to prevent the entry of unauthorized persons into the examination centres. The MDCAT exam started at 10:00 a.m. Examination centres remained open for the candidates at 8:00 am and were sealed at 9:00 am after which no one was allowed to enter. The duration of the exam was three and a half hours, which were concluded at 1.30 pm.
\nThe minimum qualifying marks for admission to MBBS are 55pc and for BDS, 50pc. The question paper will have 200 multiple choice questions including Biology 68, Chemistry 54, Physics 54, English 18, and Logical Reasoning 6 questions as per the curriculum notified by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC).
\nIn this regard, UHS VC said that the Chief Minister Punjab had directed all concerned departments to make immaculate arrangements for smooth and flawless conduct of the admission test.
\nThe district administration, under the supervision of concerned divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners, had finalized the security and logistic plans at their respective centres, Prof Rathore said.
\nHe said that district police officers would be responsible for the security and deployment of police personnel at the test centres.
\nPolice ensured extensive patrolling and technical sweeping of the area before the commencement of the test. Walk-through gates and mobile jammers were installed at all major centres, UHS VC informed. Traffic police had been directed to make proper traffic and parking arrangements to ensure a smooth flow of traffic near the test centres, he added.
\nProf. Rathore further said that emergency healthcare services were ensured at all centres which including fully equipped ambulances, doctors along with paramedical staff, and necessary medicines. Moreover, the nearest teaching hospital or district headquarters hospital were also on high alert to ensure a state of readiness to meet any emergency.
\nArrangements have also been made with power supply companies to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply at all the centres during the test. Candidates were not allowed to bring any cell phones, calculators, smart and digital watches, books, bags, and electronic devices to the test centre. However, analog watches were allowed.
\nUHS VC warned that there would be zero tolerance for the use of unfair means in the test. He said that candidates must bring with them the printout of their admittance card as well as their original CNIC\/NICOP\/JC\/Passport\/B-Form. He added that there would be biometric verification of candidates at each centre by NADRA teams.
\nMeanwhile, a meeting was held here at the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department in this regard under the chairmanship of Health Secretary Ali Jan Khan, in which all the special secretaries, additional secretaries, and deputy secretaries of the department participated.
\nIn the meeting, the arrangements for the MDCAT exam were reviewed. The command and control centre of the department was alerted for better coordination during the exam. Mr. Ali Jan Khan said that MDCAT was perhaps the department\u2019s biggest activity of the year and, therefore, any kind of lapse in terms of arrangements would not be tolerated.
\nThe Secretary Health said that there was a strict ban on the possession of mobile phones by the candidates as well as the staff in the examination centres. Senior officers of the department were deputed to monitor the test, he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LAHORE The University of Health Sciences (UHS) conducted the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT), today (Sunday) at 29 centres set up in 11 cities of the province. More than 67,000 candidates appeared in the admission test. The question papers and other sensitive examination materials were dispatched to various cities under tight security arrangements. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":355136,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-355106","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n