LAHORE: Around 66,000 candidates, including 42,000 female and 24,000 male, will appear in the Punjab Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) today (Sunday).

The test would be conducted by the University of Health Sciences (UHS) simultaneously at 28 centres established in 13 cities of Punjab, said UHS Vice Chancellor Prof Javed Akram at a news conference on Saturday.

He said the test would start at 10am at the Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Sargodha, Gujrat, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Dera Ghazi Khan and Hassanabdal centres. However, candidates must reach their respective centres at least one hour before the commencement of the test and nobody would be allowed to enter the centres after 9:15am.

The candidates must bring with them the printout of their admittance card as well as their original computerised national identity card (CNIC) or domicile or passport. They would not be allowed to bring mobile phones, calculators, laptops, watches, books and electronic devices at the centres, said Prof Akram, adding that there would be zero tolerance for the use of unfair means.

Comprising 220 multiple choice questions (MCQs), the test has been divided into four sections -- Biology (88 MCQs), Chemistry (58 MCQs), Physics (44 MCQs) and English (30 MCQs).

Total duration of the test would be two-and-a-half hours and total marks 1100. There would be negative marking in the test like previous years while five marks would be awarded for each correct answer, and one mark would be deducted for each incorrect answer.

Prof Akram said the Punjab chief secretary had directed all relevant departments to take immaculate measures for smooth and flawless conduct of the admission test.

The Punjab government had finalised arrangements for the test and deputed senior bureaucrats, including provincial secretaries, commissioners and deputy commissioners as monitoring officers whereas senior medical professors would conduct the test. Divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners of respective districts would act as ‘focal persons’ to look after the arrangements of the test.

The district administrations, under the supervision of divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners concerned, had finalised the security and logistic plans at their respective centres, he said.

Waiting areas for parents and other attendants of the candidates had been arranged near the centres. Traffic police had been directed to make proper traffic and parking arrangements to ensure smooth flow of traffic near the centres, he said.

The UHS had deputed around 5,500 invigilators, 1,000 superintendents and deputy superintendents for the conduct of the test.

In Lahore, eight centres had been established at the examination halls of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education on Lawrence Road; examination halls of Punjab University and the Government Comprehensive Girls High School on Wahdat Road; Lahore College for Women University on Jail Road; University of Engineering and Technology on GT Road; Government Postgraduate College for Women, Samanabad, besides Divisional Public School, Model Town, where around 19,000 candidates would sit the test.

He said district police officers would be responsible for security and deployment of police personnel at the centres. Police would ensure extensive patrolling and technical sweeping of the area before the commencement of the test.

Walk-through gates and mobile jammers would be installed at all major centres. Restrictions would be imposed under Section 144 on the entry of unauthorised persons on the premises of centres, said the VC.

Emergency healthcare services would be ensured at all centres, including fully equipped ambulances, doctors along with paramedical staff and emergency medicines. Moreover, the nearest teaching hospital or district headquarters hospital would be on high alert to ensure a state of readiness to meet any emergency.

Arrangements had also been made with power supply companies to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply at all the centres during the test.

Prof Akram said the candidates would compete for 3,405 MBBS seats in 17 public sector medical colleges and 216 BDS seats in three public dental colleges of the province.

“Besides, there are around 3,000 MBBS seats available in 25 private medical colleges and 500 BDS seats in 11 dental colleges,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2018

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