PESHAWAR, July 10: A large number of students have complained of irregularities in the practical examination for health technicians being conducted by the NWFP Medical Faculty in the province.

“The authorities informed us the same day about the practical examination for which we were not prepared,” said the candidates who appeared in the examination for 13 different diploma courses at the Government High School No 3, Peshawar.

They complained that there were no proper seating arrangements and candidates were free to take seats of their choices.

Over 5,000 candidates are appearing in examinations being held in Abbottabad, Mingora, Chakdara, Dir, Bannu, Mardan and Peshawar.

The NWFP Medical Faculty with only eight staffers is conducting the examination. Most of them hove nothing to do with the medical profession. In some cases, chemists and office-bearers of paramedical associations were seen invigilating the exam.

Candidates were seen openly using mobile phones for cheating. They sent and received messages and some of them were even allowed to have conversation on mobile phones.

The candidates complained that they had been taught intermediate English at the institute while the paper delivered to them was of general nature.

All sorts of irregularities are rampant in the exams. Only last year, some of the candidates had been declared successful despite the fact that they had not taken the exam. Candidates are issued one roll number which they use for all four semesters of the two-year diploma course.

The candidates said that the examiners asked the same question from several students in the oral examination.

The number of private paramedical institutes is growing in the province. Only four institutes of the total 30 being supervised by the faculty are owned by the government. The pass percentage of private candidates is far better than public institutes.

NWFP Medical Faculty secretary Zarif Mani told Dawn that examiners were qualified and had relevant experience. He said the number of private students was far higher than the public sector institutes owing to which their pass percentage was better.