KARACHI: Health dept cancels IBA test results second time:
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec 13: The Sindh health department dropped on Thursday another bombshell on the harried students seeking admission to government medical colleges when it declared that they would have to take the entrance test for a third time.
The students, whose endurance had already been stretched to the limit, were expecting the final list on Friday. They had taken a second test on Nov 15 when the Institute of Business Administration admitted serious irregularities in the first test held on Oct 28. The test results were announced on Nov 29 and merit list made public. The IBA had voiced no complaint before Thursday against the second test and there was no such report in the press either.
The health department’s decision came as a bolt from the blue to successful students when they came to know of it. Some of them told Dawn that it was difficult for them to find words to express their shock and agony at the department’s decision.
They said it was big injustice to the students who had worked hard for years to see the day when they would be admitted to medical college to fulfil their dreams of serving ailing humanity by becoming physicians and surgeons. “There won’t be any Eid for us to celebrate,” bemoaned a girl student over the phone.
“Definitely there are vested interests behind this decision who have sabotaged the fair test.”
A student asked if the IBA continued to make blunder after blunder, why the students be punished for its sins.
A parent suggested that there be no entrance test and admissions be given on the basis of Intermediate exam results as before.
A press statement of the Sindh information department said the IBA director called on Brig Akhtar Zamin, principal secretary to the governor, and the health secretary, Chaudhry Khalid Latif, in the governor’s house and told them that serious irregularities in the test, held for a second time for admission to medical colleges, had been discovered which rendered doubtful the results of 34-35 candidates, PPI adds.
A spokesman for the information department also said the IBA planned to lodge an FIR against a group of persons involved in these irregularities.
The matter was immediately brought to the notice of the Sindh Minister of Health, Maj-Gen Ehsan Ahmed, who also rushed to the governor’s house and held a meeting with the Acting Governor, Justice Syed Saeed Ashhad, and briefed him on the situation. Chief Secretary Javed Ashraf Husain, governor’s Adviser, Abdul Wahab Shaikh, the secretary health and the governor’s principal secretary were also present at the meeting.
The meeting decided to cancel the results of the IBA test and to hold a fresh test in the last week of December.
The meeting decided that since time was short, giving the test could not be assigned to any other institution other than the IBA.
However, in view of the irregularities, the authorities concerned would be requested to hold the tests under the supervision of an army monitoring team.
The IBA has also been directed to ensure that papers are checked immediately after they are deposited by the candidates at all the three examination centres at Karachi, Hyderabad and Larkana under the supervision of army and a copy of the result-sheet is handed over to the representative of the health department on the spot.
Expressing his reservations against the IBA, the minister of health made it clear that the health department would not hold tests through the IBA in future.
Later, the health secretary issued directives with regard to the options for admission and said the candidates, who had given options at the time of filling up admission forms, should visit their centres within two weeks and get their options registered afresh duly signed by their parents or guardians.
Similarly, those students, who could not submit domicile certificates or permanent residence certificate due to the establishment of district governments, might also submit the same within 15 days.
The spokesman for the health department was of the view that the health department was not responsible for the complications in the tests for admissions, and the IBA was solely responsible for the whole mess.
The governor’s house had asked the governor’s inspection team to further investigate the matter and submit a report as soon as possible, the spokesman said.
