KARACHI, Aug 17: The entrance test for admission to the government-run medical colleges in the province will be conducted by Bahria University (BU), it was learnt officially.

A senior official at the health department said that in Karachi the test will be held at the BU campus, while the venue in Hyderabad and Larkana would remain the same as the previous year’s. Model test papers are being provided to students on submission of the entrance test fee at the admission centres.

This is for the first time that the Sindh health department has hired a testing agency other than the IBA.

Following massive irregularities and leakage of test papers last year, the department had announced to do away with the IBA.

Sources said that in order to maintain transparency, it has been decided that students would be provided with a carbon copy of their answer scripts, which they would take along with them after the test. Further, the candidates would be given the master key of the test so that they could assess their performance.

To a question, the official said that sale of the admission forms and prospectus was still to attain a peak, as some of the educational boards have not yet declared the HSC (pre-medical) examination results or have not issued mark sheets.

However, he hoped that the admission schedule earlier announced would remain unaffected as educational boards were being pursued to expedite the process for preparation of exam results and distribution of mark sheets.

Meanwhile, sources privy to the Karachi admission centre said that since August 10, when the admission process for DMC and SMC commenced, about 900 admission forms had been sold. Though there is no compulsion for purchasing the entrance test forms along with the admission forms, many candidates are purchasing the test forms as well.

According to the health department’s admission brochure, last date for receiving of admission applications is August 31, while entrance test would be held on September 15.