SEVERAL pre-medical students belonging to the middle class manage to pass the Intermediate examinations obtaining above 80 per cent, that too, surprisingly, by fair means.

However, they still face issues in joining undergraduate medical programmes in Balochistan or in any other public sector medical institution across the country.

Many students are eager to serve their country as doctors but they lack adequate opportunities.

Poorly conducted entrance tests demoralise them. Balochistan has only two medical institutes — Bolan Medical College and the Quetta Institute of Medical Sciences. Chief minister Abdul Malik struggled and added two more in 2014 – Makran Medical College and Jhalawan Medical College.

Despite those newly built colleges, every year thousands of bright students from more than 29 districts sit medical entrance tests. Six to 10 aspirants in each district succeed.

It is discouraging to see medical entrance tests conducted without following the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council instructions.

Tests are conducted by different testing services or sometimes by the institution itself. The test pattern is beyond students’ comprehension and, most importantly, many questions asked are irrelevant and out of course. Is that really the way to assess a candidate?

I believe Balochistan’s health sector will improve if medical college entrance examinations are conducted in an appropriate manner.

Dr Tehzeeb Yousuf Baloch
Kech

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2019