KARACHI, Sept 21: The schedule for admissions to first year classes of six government-run medical colleges in the province would be given shortly, said sources in the Sindh Health department.

It was learnt that outline of the admission policy of medical colleges for session 2005-06, recently approved by the chief minister, were circulated among the concerned quarters on Wednesday for necessary preparations on their part at the earliest.

An official said that a common schedule of admission, in consultation with two government medical universities to which six colleges were affiliated, would be finalized in two or three days, following which applications would be invited from students.

It is likely that the process would begin in early October for which the Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, and the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, would publish prospectuses separately.

As many as 967 merit seats, including 60 under reciprocal arrangements, would be offered at the Dow Medical College, the Sindh Medical College, the LUMHS, Chandka Medical College, Peoples Medical College and the SGMK Medical College, Sukkur.

Under the reciprocal seats, 30 students from interior Sindh would be allowed admission to Karachi’s colleges, while another 30 students from Karachi would be sent to the LUMHS, like previous years, added the official.

The entry tests for applicants would be simultaneously held under a private body at four centres, ie Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana.

It was further learnt that the Sindh health department would withdraw itself completely from the admission process from next year as the medical colleges were affiliated with two universities, which were already enjoying autonomous statuses.

The government had decided to let the varsities execute their own admission policies and decide about the number of seats to be offered for admissions, but following the expression of inability by one varsity regarding holding of entry test independently, the government opted to share the load at least for the ensuing session only, said a source in the department.