LAHORE: The official result of the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT), re-conducted on Oct 29, was declared on Wednesday.

Kumail Ijaz (s/o Ijaz Hussain) and Muhammad Shoaib (s/o Hafiz Muhammad Ismail) shared the first position by securing 1076/1100 marks each while Hafiz Nadir Murtaza (s/o Amjad Hussain) and Farah Saeed (d/o Muhammad Saeed Akhtar) shared second position securing 1070/1100 marks each, according to an announcement by the University of Health Sciences (UHS).

Of the 48,533 candidates who opted to re-appear in the test, 61.74 per cent scored 60pc and above marks, 14.38pc obtained 50 to 59pc while 11.55pc candidates could get 40 to 49pc marks.

The candidates securing 83.4pc and above aggregate marks will be eligible to apply for admission on an open merit basis according to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council’s formula.

There are 3,405 MBBS and 216 BDS seats in 17 medical and three dental colleges, respectively, in the public sector. Besides, there are 2,640 MBBS and 525 BDS seats in 22 medical and nine dental colleges, respectively, in the private sector affiliated with UHS.

The announcement said admission forms for government medical and dental institutions would be available from Nov 10 to 17, including Saturday and Sunday. The first selection list would be displayed on Nov 29 whereas classes in all public sector medical colleges of Punjab would commence on Dec 6.Admissions forms and prospectus would be available, free of cost, at the UHS Lahore, Nishtar Medical University, Multan, and Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi. The last date for submission of forms is Nov 17.

As many as 65,155 candidates had appeared in MDCAT held on Aug 20. However, the Punjab government decided to re-conduct MDCAT last month after a high-level inquiry found evidences that the question paper was ‘leaked’ in advance.

A total of 16,622 candidates did not appear in the MDCAT re-conducted on Oct 29.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2017