KARACHI, June 30: A meeting presided over by the Sindh Health Minister, Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani, on Friday finalized the admission policy for the province’s medical colleges for the academic year 2006-07.

The meeting was attended by Secretary Health Prof Naushad Sheikh, Additional Secretary Technical Dr Shafquat Hussain Abbasi, Prof Mussarat Khan, Vice Chancellor Dow Medical College Karachi Prof Sikandar Ali Sheikh, Principal Chandka Medical College Larkana Prof Ali Akbar, Principal People’s Medical College Nawabshah Prof Jan Muhammad Memon, Vice Chancellor Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro Prof Tariq Sharafat Ullah, Principal Sindh Medical College Karachi Prof Ibrar, Principal Medical College Sukkur Sardar Ghulam Muhammad, and Deputy Secretary Technical Muhammad Athar Khan attended the meeting.The health minister after inquiring about the problems being faced by medical colleges finalized the admission policy for all medical colleges after consulting their heads.

The meeting decided that no local or foreign student would be given admission under the self-finance scheme 60 days after the last date of admissions to any medical colleges in the province.

The meeting also decided that Rs1,000 would be charged as entry test fees while all colleges would be empowered to give admissions on merit under the PMDC rules.

The meeting was told that 1,400 students would be admitted to medical colleges across the province.

The minister directed the administration of the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences to increase the number of seats for dentistry from 50 to 100. The admission policy will be enforced after its final approval from the Governor.—PPI