KARACHI, June 12: The pre-admission tests for first year engineering classes at the NED University of Engineering and Technology, would be held on July 26, while sale of admission forms is likely to begin in the first week of September.

Sources in the university said that like last year, the varsity authorities had decided to conduct the pre-admission test, prior to the formal commencement of admission process.

Last year, about 5,500 candidates had taken the test, while 45 per cent of them managed to clear the test by securing 40 per cent or more marks.

Candidates, who have passed or expect to pass with at least 50 per cent aggregate marks in the HSC (Pre engineering), A-Level/12 grade, with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics or equivalent examinations, from the year 1999 to 2003, are required to pass the test, as one of the eligibility conditions for admissions to the university, for all offered programmes, ie BE, B Arch, BCIT and Self Finance (BE and B Arch) programmes.

It was further learnt that applications and admit card forms for the test would be available from June 23 at the NBP, NED campus branch, on payment of Rs 400. There is no major shift from the pattern of previous years in regard to the test, which would base entirely on the HSC curriculum in English, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.

Foreign and overseas Pakistanis, desirous of taking admission, may take SAT examinations in lieu of entry test. The candidates who fulfil other eligibility conditions and score at least 800 or more in SAT-I and 1,500 or more in SAT-II (Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry), may apply for admission, says the source.

According to official sources, in all 868 seats, including 121 on the self finance basis, have been allocated for admissions to four year Bachelor of Engineering (BE) programmes, while another 100 seats for BCIT and 27 for B Arch, have been allocated.

The university syndicate has approved allocation of 27 seats for Telecommunication Engineering department, which would be a part of the Electrical and Telecommunication department, said a source.

The allocation of regular and self finance BE seats for 2003-2004 are as follows:

Regular or merit seats; Civil Engineering- 138, Mechanical-138, Electrical-110, Computer and Information Systems-100, Textile-34, Electronic-100, Industrial and Manufacturing-69, Urban-34 and Telecommunication-24.

Self Finance seats; Civil Engineering-2, Mechanical-2, Electrical-30, Computer and Information Systems-40, Textile-2, Electronic-40, Industrial and Manufacturing-1, Urban-1 and Telecommunication-3.

As per admission plan, there are BE 9 merit seats for those passing their BSC (Pass) examinations from the University of Karachi, while another 585 BE seats for those having passed their HSC examination from the Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi.