KARACHI, July 16: The process of admissions to first year classes of all faculties in the government city colleges will begin from August 7, with the sale of admission forms and brochures through designated banks.

This was stated by the provincial education manager (colleges), Mohammad Ali Shaikh, on Saturday. Talking to Dawn, he said that the admission process would begin after declaration of SSC science group results.

He said that despite some preliminary organisational hang-ups, which emerged in the wake of transfer of administrative control of colleges from local governments to the provincial government, the education department wanted to execute the admission process in a foolproof manner giving all priority to merit.

The Board of Secondary Education, Karachi, on Saturday has announced the general group examination result, while science group result will likely be announced, as I have been told by the BSE chairman, in the last week of July, Mr Shaikh said.

He informed that the admission policy and other related mechanisms would almost remain the same as the previous years so he thought that there would be a smooth take-off and related tasks would be accomplished by the officers concerned and the centralised admission committee within the stipulated period.

Mr Shaikh said that lately a slight change had been approved by the authorities in case of the already notified 23-member admission committee, comprising 18 senior faculty members and 5 ex-officio members. Four of the college teachers who were not of the rank of principals had now been excluded from the committee as the provincial education minister wanted that only principals should represent the colleges and look after the admission process, he added.

He said that a meeting of the admission committee would be convened in the next couple of days to discuss the arrangements pertaining to admissions. Since the regional education managers, including that of the Karachi region, are yet to be notified, it has been decided that the defunct office of district education officer will extend all-out support to the committee and streamline the things, he said replying to a question.

Mr Shaikh further said that admission forms and brochures would be ready for supply to the designated banks for sale by July 31. He hoped that first merit or placement list for admissions would be out on September 7 or 8, while teaching would commence in the last week of September or first week of October.

Replying to another question, he said that like previous years BSE would be verifying the marks sheets submitted by applicants and it would also prepare the merit list.