LAHORE, July 19: The devolved government colleges in the province have started inviting fresh applications from candidates for admission to first-year on two per cent sports quota.

The admissions on the sports quota will be made only in arts subjects.

The education department has already notified a criterion that allocates a total of 32 marks to determine the merit.

It has allocated 8.5 marks for academic attainment, one mark for each 100 marks obtained in the board’s examination, 10.5 marks for those applicants who have secured national-level distinction in sports, eight marks for provincial-level distinction (to be certified by the DG Sports), 5.5 marks for the candidates holding board-level distinction (to be certified by the BISE concerned) and 2.5 marks have been allocated for the candidates holding distinction at the district level (to be certified by the district sports organizer).

Besides, eight marks have been allocated for trials in games, sports and athletics (to be conducted by the college principal and a committee of three faculty members) and five marks for the interview (to be conducted by the college principal and members of the college council).

All the devolved colleges will be required to give extra seven days to candidates for submitting fresh admission forms.

Meanwhile, the city district government endorsed on Friday the policy to fill two per cent seats on sports basis, and notified that it should be implemented in all the devolved colleges.

In the notification, the city district Nazim has instructed the relevant authorities that each district education officer (college) will act as a committee member in all the colleges under his jurisdiction.

The DEOs (colleges) concerned will prepare the schedule for trials/interviews in consultation with the principals to ensure their presence during different steps for admission on sports quota. In the female colleges, the lady deputy district education officers (colleges) will substitute the DEOs (colleges).

Meanwhile, these colleges have started finalizing admissions on 10 per cent enhanced seats on the basis of admission forms.

The Punjab education department has also asked all the devolved government intermediate, degree and postgraduate colleges as well as autonomous educational institutions in the province to examine the possibility of starting afternoon classes in some disciplines so that more students could get access to higher education in the public sector.

It said the proposals under this programme should be forwarded for approval through the CDG and Boards of Governors for the devolved government colleges and autonomous institutions, respectively.

Taking serious notice of the opposition by the Lahore CDG and difficulties being faced by the parents in admission of their wards to first-year, Punjab Education Minister Mian Imran Masood has directed the education department to put up a report within two days on implementation of revised admission policy for admissions to FA, FSc classes.

The minister has also directed Punjab Higher Education special secretary Nazir Saeed to monitor the situation in all the colleges and furnish him with the details of admissions in the extended seven days.

He said the decisions to enhance 10 per cent seats in all the colleges, offering two per cent seats on sports basis and starting double shift in colleges had been taken to facilitate the students seeking higher education.

He also said: “There is no political motive in taking these steps, and the education department officials are bound to implement the government policies in letter and spirit.” He claimed that these decisions would offer overall 114 per cent more seats in the first-year.

Not a single college in the province has so far sent a proposal to the education department through the CDG to the education department.