June 24, 2007	Sunday	Jamadi-us-Sani 08, 1428

HYDERABAD, June 23: The vice-chancellor of the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Prof Dr Noshad Ahmed Shaikh, vowed on Saturday to weed out what he called ‘unnecessary students politics and unhealthy activities’ from the university.

Talking to a group of journalists at the campus Mr Shaikh stressed that an overwhelming majority of students was interested in studies while only 0.5 per cent wanted to spoil the academic atmosphere.

He dispelled the impression that the university was being demoted back to a college status and said that the university was establishing a separate Liaquat University Medical College at the campus in light of the suggestions of the academic council and subsequent approval by the university syndicate.

It created the impression in some minds that the institution’s status was being demoted, he said and clarified that the university would continue to work as an umbrella organisation for the affiliated medical colleges and institutes.

Mr Shaikh said that unfortunately, the university was being run under a flawed system, but he would strive to develop a viable system to run the university’s affairs that would lead to raise its standard at national and international levels.

He said that the university had planned major development works, which included a separate medical college for foreign students and increase in the number of seats for BDS at the institute of dentistry.

The university had in this regard approached the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council to seek permission for 100 per cent increase in BDS seats from 50 to 100.

The university would revamp its old building on modern lines and strengthen linkages with sister organisations within and without the country, especially the USA and the UK.

From this year on the university would complete its undergraduate admission process before the private sector institutions, he said and added that for this purpose the entry test for admission was likely to be held in the first week of September.

The university was also considering privatising transport services to improve the service for the students and faculty, he said.