Medical colleges entry tests report by UHS

'Backward' Punjab excels in medical entry tests
Lahore, July 13: A report compiled by the University of Health Sciences (UHS) experts on students having passed entry test last year has revealed that average entry test marks obtained by the students from Southern Punjab were much higher than those belonging to Northern and Central Punjab.

Surprisingly, no private academies are working in the Southern Punjab, also known for poor education and health facilities as compared to Central and Northern Punjab. But the latter part of the province is hub of private academies that lures thousands of students for the preparation of entry tests and guarantee admission in medical colleges provided the students follow their magical formula.

According to the analytical report, 176 medical students hailing from Southern Punjab had passed entry test exams last year. Among them 41 were those who had joined private academies and obtained 948.02 average marks while the remaining 135 students got 979.24 average marks in the test.

Similarly, 202 students hailing from Central Punjab had passed the entry tests out of which 133 students had joined academies and obtained 958.69 average marks as compared to 973.42 marks obtained by the 69 students who never consulted any academy for the preparation of entry test.

While the average marks of 58 students belonging to Northern Punjab who had passed the entry test were 945.15 as compared to 962.6 average marks obtained by 18 students without getting help from private academies.

The aforementioned data shows that preparation of entry tests through academies is no guarantee of getting admission in medical colleges. They lure students with tall claims of having magical formulas that would ensure their place in top medical institutes. The academies are playing with the future of students and their families under the very nose of the Punjab health department. Sources informed that following the announcement of holding entry tests in September this year by the UHS, the private academies' business again started as they had planned to charge exorbitant fees from the students during their stay in the academy for five to eight weeks.

Many tuition centres in the City have started classes for the entry tests. They will accumulate a handsome amount as no less than 4,000 students are expected to sit in the entry test exams. Such institutes present a festive looks displaying colourful banners to attract the students. They also publish pamphlets and other advertisements offering attractive packages to the students and claim to have entry test guidelines and qualified and trained professors.

"Join our entry test academy greatly helpful in making your future bright. Do not waste your time. We can give you important tips for solving entry test papers", this is the claim of one of the academies situated in the posh area of Gulberg.

Another academy situated in Iqbal Town claims "Many Entry test softwares are available in our academy that can help you greatly to solve the MCQs in a limited time. The CDs contains information about pattern of entry tests of approximately all reputed universities". The Nation

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'B.Com papers being wrongly marked'
Lahore: A principal of an academy, addressing a press conference, has alleged that papers of B.Com subjects like Income Tax and Sales Tax Laws were being marked against the laws of income tax and sales tax.

At the Lahore Press Club on Saturday, principal Ijaz Ali said the paper checkers were marking the numerical section of the papers solely on mathematical rules, claiming it was a mockery of income tax and sales tax laws. He also claimed that the matter was brought to the notice of the Punjab University (PU) administration but to no avail.

He also claimed that there were mistakes in books recommended by the university owing to which the students did not understand basic concepts.

When contacted, PU controller of examination Prof Zahid Karim Khan expressed ignorance about the issue, saying he would look into the matter.

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KEMU allowed to train doctors
Lahore: The College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) has recognized Cardiology Department and Forensic Medicine Department, King Edward Medical University (KEMU), Lahore, for postgraduate training of young doctors in Mayo Hospital/KEMU. The notification has been issued in this regard. According to a press release issued here on Saturday, previously the young doctors of Mayo Hospital/KEMU had to go to Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) for their training.

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PU Computer lab
Lahore: Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran has inaugurated the newly constructed computer lab and seminar hall at the Department of Economics. According to a press statement, addressing the ceremony, the VC said the computer lab would be provided with internet facility soon. He urged the young lecturers of the department to get enrolled for PhD as soon as possible, adding the PU Faculty Development Programme would provide financial support to them. He said those faculty members who were doing PhD could study one-year abroad under the programme. Department of Economics Chairman Dr Muhammad Hafeez ur Rehman and a number of faculty members and students were also present.

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Technical education top students also need a pat on the back
Lahore: The Punjab government seems reluctant to acknowledge the achievements of students of technical education because unlike top scorers of mainstream education, it has not announced any special incentives for students who top technical education exams.

The government had generously rewarded top scorers of matriculation and intermediate examinations. Besides huge cash prizes, these students were presented a special guard of honour at Punjab House in Murree last year. The story does not end here. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had announced a study tour for them and these days a delegation consisting of these students is on a visit to Germany and Britain where they are visiting top universities and colleges.

Besides this, the CM had special meetings with these kids on several occasions while a training programme was also organized for them to sharpen their oratory skills and personality development. Recently, the chief minister also announced doubling the amount of cash prize for position holders from next year as well as sending 40 students instead of 20 on a study tour.

A ceremony to award medals to top scorers of DAE, DCom and DBA, all equivalent to intermediate level education, was held last week. Punjab Excise and Taxation and Education Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman was the chief guest. A gold medal and Rs 25,000 in cash, a silver medal with Rs 15,000 in cash and a bronze medal with Rs 10,000 were announced for the first, second and third position holders respectively. No other incentives were announced for these talented students by the minister on behalf of the chief minister.

Contrary to this, last year the top scorers of various groups of matriculation and intermediate of all eight boards of the province were awarded cash prizes of Rs 200,000 while the chief minister had also announced Rs 100,000 for teachers of position holders. The ceremony to honour top scorers of matriculation was presided over by Shahbaz Sharif himself while the education minister was the chief guest at the ceremony held in the honour of top scorers of intermediate examination.

During a ceremony organised by the Punjab Board of Technical Education (PBTE), Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman had assured the position holders of technical education of a meeting with Shahbaz Sharif. The meeting is yet to take place.

Seen in this context, the 'treatment' being 'meted out' to brilliant students of technical education is disappointing even though the government frequently claims that it was paying special attention on the field of technical education in the province.

Talking anonymously, a PBTE official said the minister for education had announced that he would help arrange a meeting of the top scorers with the chief minister. The official said the minister, however, had asked the board to move a summary in this regard. He said if the chief minister really wanted to announce special incentives for top scorers of technical education, then there had been no need to move a summary. "The CM had announced cash prizes and other awards for top scorers of intermediate exams last year though he did not attend the ceremony," the official said.

He said there was a single board dealing with technical education in the province unlike general education for which eight boards were working. "Our kids would have felt encouraged too had the CM given them a pat on the back," he said.

The Punjab University (PU) Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB) arranged a public defence lecture of PhD thesis entitled "Identification of Drought Tolerant Genes in Cotton" at the centre here at New Campus on Saturday.

According to a press statement, Muhammad Irfan, PhD scholar of the CEMB, made a presentation and answered participants' questions on the occasion. PU Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB) Prof Dr Tayyab Husnain is the supervisor while Dr Farhat F Jamil is the External Examiner of the PhD scholar. -lachvee@gmail.com (The News)

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Jamia Naeemia students hold rally against Taliban
Lahore: Students of the Jamia Naeemia on Sunday held a rally to condemn Talibanisation and to express solidarity with the victims of June 12 tragedy, which claimed the life of Allama Naeemi and others in a suicide attack.

The rally, led by Jamia Naeemia principal and son of Allama Naeemi, Raghib Naeemi, started from Jamia Naeemia, Garhi Shahu, and concluded in front of the Punjab Assembly building. The participants of the 'Istehkam-e-Pakistan' rally chanted slogans against the miscreants and terrorists for creating chaos in the country. Holding banners and placards with anti-Taliban slogans, the participants rejected terrorism, demanding the elimination of miscreants from the country. The participants reiterated their commitment to continue the mission of Dr Sarafraz Ahmad Naeemi Shaheed to promote Islam, a religion of peace and harmony. Raghib Naeemi and Mufti Haseeb Qadri in their addresses demanded compensation for the relatives of June 12 victims. The News

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