KARACHI, Dec 6: The candidates who have been declared “unfit” for admission to the Karachi-based medical colleges on account of a vague admission rule have been running from pillar to post.

The candidates obtained high marks in their intermediate examination, achieved a good score in the IBA entrance tests and made to the first 100 slots on the merit list.

The affected students, 13 of whom passed their SSC and HSC examinations from Karachi educational boards and secured their positions on an open merit basis, expressed the view that they were being made to suffer unnecessarily. “Our desire for admission to city colleges is clear on the authorities concerned on whose interpretation of the admission rules hinges our future,” they said.

Some students pointed out that they had already gone through a lot of anguish as they, along with other students, had had to appear twice in the IBA entrance test.

A girl student said: “The authorities know that we want admission in Karachi first. Even if somebody, by mistake, mentioned a college not in Karachi he/she should be made to suffer.”

She urged the Sindh health minister to intervene and provide relief to the affected students.

Students maintained that if the authorities overlooked their slip of the pen and admitted them to the Karachi-based medical colleges it would not affect anyone as they were already on the merit list. “We are already among the first 414 candidates selected for admission on the basis of our performance in tests,” they said.

Meanwhile, an official in the health department said that the matter had already been brought to the knowledge of the health minister and he wanted to sort out the problems of the students. He added that the minister had also convened a meeting of the health department’s higher officials and colleges’ principals on Thursday, which could not be held due to some important preoccupation of the minister.

Sources in the department said that now the meeting was likely to be held on Friday. Key officials are of the view that the meeting would possibly consider the plea of students and give a decision in their favour.