Entrance test for Punjab medical and dental colleges

32,000 students appearing for entrance test
Lahore, July 08: As many as 32,000 male and female students are appearing in the entrance test for admission into public and private sector medical and dental colleges of the Punjab. The entrance test is scheduled to be held on July 20 simultaneously at 12 cities of the province.

The University of Health Sciences set up 14 examination centers in different cities including Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Rawalpindi, Sargodha and Hasan Abdal. On the special directions of CM Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, self-scoring system has been introduced in entrance test for the first time to ensure 100% transparency. Two answer sheets-one original and other carbon copy-will be provided to students who will submit the former to the invigilators and retain the latter for checking their results. The answer key will be made public through website of University Health Sciences and through electronic and print media. This step will enable the students to check their result and evaluate their performance without any delay and in an easy way.

Briefing the participants over the arrangements and mode of examination at an orientation seminar arranged by UHS at auditorium of Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad, on Wednesday, Coordinator of UHS Dr. Hamaad Hussain said that for the first time the entrance tests were being held before the announcement of FSc result and told the participants that the decision had been taken to facilitate the students.

He said that early conducting of entrance test would benefit the students, as they had just taken the FSc exam and would prove helpful in refreshing their memories. He said this decision had increased the strength of candidates from 22000 last year to 32000 this year.

He further said that the decision would also discourage the commercialisation of preparation and save the students from the clutches of academy mafia. He also briefed the participants that a total of 220 MCQs would be asked from the students and they would answer them in 150 minutes. Each question will carry five marks and a candidate will lose 1 mark for a wrong answer. Separate question papers have been designed for FSc and non-FSc students i.e. A-Level and other equivalent, he added. He further told that a student would have to secure 60 % marks i.e. 660 out of 11000.

Principal PMC Dr. Riaz Hussain Dab, Organiser of seminar Prof. Dr. Imtiaz and UHS Coordinator Muhammad Ramzan also spoke and briefed the students on the details of entrance test.

Meanwhile, on the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister, an informational seminar was held under the auspices of University of Health Sciences at Sheikh Zayed Public School Rahimyar Khan for creating awareness among the students regarding entrance test for all the medical and dental colleges of the province which was chaired by Prof. of Sheikh Zayed Medical College Dr. Anwar Hussain. Principal of Shiekh Zayed Public School Ch. Muhammad Ismail was also present on the occasion. Students of FSc from all over the district attended the seminar. Prof. of Pathology Dr. I.A Naveed of University of Health Sciences gave the comprehensive information to the candidates of medical and dental colleges regarding entrance test and also introduced the computerised way of entering Roll No, Name and parenthood on the paper. He also gave the answers of various questions asked by candidates. The news

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Fake degree issue creeps up on medical profession
Lahore: The issue of fake degrees has now engulfed the medical profession, as former students and doctors of the Institute of Public Health (IPH) have launched a move to verify the academic credentials of IPH Dean Dr Shakeela Zaman, It is learnt.

Upon receiving complaints from various sections, including former students and doctors working in the IPH, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has requested the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Swedish university concerned for verification of the dean's PhD degree.

The PMA had been conveyed that the IPH dean had presented her MD degree as a PhD after getting it translated in English from Swedish. She had also allegedly gotten a promotion as a professor on the basis of the same degree.

Set up: PMA Punjab president Dr Ashraf Nizami said that PMA office-bearers have been receiving complaints regarding the authenticity of the degrees of many doctors and "the association has decided to set up a committee in a couple of days that will submit a report on doctors working with fake degrees".

Terming the act a "social stigma", he said that if more than "150 parliamentarians can present fake degrees, which is equivalent to committing fraud, doctors, engineers and bureaucrats should also put their houses in order".

To a question on the involvement of other senior doctors in the scam, Nizami said the PMA has some information on the involvement of "high-ups", but nothing could be said for sure before the findings of the inquiry committee are revealed. "As per an estimate, all foreign degree holders have doubtful credentials... even today [Wednesday] the PMDC has cancelled the licences of some doctors over the same issue," he added.

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has also decided to launch an operation against fake degree holders registered over a decade. The move has been taken after PMDC officials were found involved in issuing fake degrees to doctors.

YDA General Secretary Dr Salman Kazmi said that most of the fake doctors were working in health establishments in the periphery, posing life threat to millions of people. He said the government should take action against all those doctors found guilty. "Doctors [with fake degrees and sitting] on senior positions should show some moral courage and step down... they should stop using foreign diplomas as doctorates," Kazmi added.

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PCR machines going to waste at IPH, KEMU
Lahore: The Polymesase Chain Reaction (PCR) machines – worth millions of rupees – installed at the Institute of Public Health (IPH) and King Edward Medical University (KEMU) six months ago are still non-functional, forcing thousands of poor patients suffering from Hepatitis B and C to go to private laboratories for tests, It is learnt.

Young Doctors' Association (YDA) office-bearers Dr Rana Sohail, Dr Salman Kazmi, Dr Aslam Rao and Dr Eraij said in a statement that it was "gross negligence" on the part of the KEMU and IPH administration to have failed to purchase kits for Hepatitis B and C tests in the past six months, while the new machines were lying useless in the respective pathology departments.

The YDA office-bearers added that a "mafia" of private laboratories' owners did not want the machines to be functional, as it would affect their businesses.

They appealed to the Punjab chief minister and health secretary to issue directions to the administration of these institutes to purchase kits for Hepatitis B and C so that thousands of patients could avail the facility of a PCR test, free of cost. Daily times

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Why no Iqbal Academy Act yet?
Lahore: When there is a full-fledged Federal Minister for Culture Pir Sayyed Aftab Shah Jillani after the resignation of Khawaja Saad Rafique some two years back, why there is still no Iqbal Academy Act in place.

Though the previous assembly had adopted the draft resolution, it could not get it approved owing to dissolution.

Iqbal Academy is a major forum and source to promote the message and thoughts of the Poet of the East.

Once in place, it would help spread the teachings of the great poet. But it seems the present government like its predecessors is in no hurry to put things in order.

It is pertinent to note that at that time more than 60 bills were in final shape and 80 percent of them had been re-tabled, including Quid-e-Azam Academy Bill.

At this point one asks why there is a need for redraft the bill. It seems that the ministry is not interested in resolving the issue of an institution that is working for promotion and propagation of the message of a great visionary. Hurdles are being created by some elements time and again.

Some months ago there was an issue of appointing an administrator in Aiwan-e-Iqbal against an abolished post while the governing body of the organisation in its meeting held in February 2006, chaired by the then secretary culture, decided to abolish the post. The resolution read: "The Governing Body resolved that no administrator should be appointed in the Aiwan and status quo should be maintained till the approval of the Iqbal Academy Act.The ministry should send it's advice to the Establishment Division to issue a notification to abolish the post of Administrator." The ministry appointed an administrator instead.

This was admitted by the ministry in its letter No. M/o Culture's U.O.no.G.S-13/2001-A-III dated 16-12-2009. As the Ministry of Culture did not send the note to the Establishment Division for advice and instead wrote to it for posting of an administrator complicating the issue.

Justice (Retd) Dr Javid Iqbal has written more than once to the ministry to de-notify the post.

The recently appointed chairman of the Management Committee, Aiwan-e-Iqbal, Arif Nizami, a senior journalist and analyst, has in a letter to the ministry said: "The appointment of an administrator is neither valid nor is in the interest of the project. I would, therefore, endorse the view of Dr Javid Iqbal and would like to uphold the decisions of the competent authorities. May I request for an expeditious disposing of the matter by issuing the formal letter de-notifying the post of the administrator."

After that the ministry, in its letter No F.8-13/2001-AIII, withdrew the additional charge of the post of the administrator given to the director of the Iqbal Academy. It seems to be a positive step towards the abolition of the post and the merger of the Iqbal Academy and Aiwan-e-Iqbal, which have been working efficiently under one umbrella for more than four years.

When contacted, Federal Secretary Culture Moeenul Islam Bokhari commented that the issue of Iqbal Academy was being settled and consultants were working on it.

However, sources said that the ministry had spent a huge amount of Rs 1.8 million to conduct a study on Iqbal Academy. It is to be noted that a similar study had also been conducted in 2006 with less amount. The news

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160 students to get higher education in US
Jhelum: As many as 160 under-graduates of various colleges and universities, across the country, will depart for United States (US) soon to study on scholarship.This was stated by the spokesman of United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) on Wednesday.He said these scholarships were fully funded covering travel, boarding, stipend, health insurance and tuition fee for the entire period of study.

He further said some students would attend study for four to six weeks in their respective course, while others either for a year or a semester.

"The selected candidates are being funded under five different programs, of which, three are administered by United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) and two managed directly by the U.S Embassy Islamabad," he added. App

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Tevta moves summary to hand over institutes to HED
Lahore: The Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (Tevta) has formally moved a summary seeking handing over of its 118 commerce institutes and colleges along with around 3,000 teaching and non-teaching staff to the Punjab Higher Education Department.

It is learnt that the TEVTA has sought a separate cadre for the employees to be shifted to the Higher Education Department so that their seniority, job and pay are protected.

A meeting between TEVTA Chairman Saeed Ahmad Alvi and Higher Education Secretary Ahad Khan Cheema was held recently to finalise the modalities in order to complete the task smoothly.

It is further learnt that the contract employees of the TEVTA being shifted to the Higher Education Department would be awarded contract under the Punjab government's contract policy 2004.

Sources in the TEVTA said around 3,000 employees, including teaching and non-teaching staff, would be shifted besides 118 institutes and colleges of commerce education would be handed over to the higher education department as soon as the summary gets approved by the chief minister.

They said another important initiative taken by the TEVTA was registration of private institutes offering technical education and vocational training which earlier used to be domain of the Punjab Board of Technical Education (PBTE).

A strict policy has been adopted by the Authority now in connection with registration to discourage private institutes involved only in minting money, they added.

Sources said some politicians had now started lobbying to take out the PBTE from administrative control of the TEVTA as they had been running technical institutes privately and were feeling quite uncomfortable with the changing scenario.

It is important to mention here that shifting of commerce education is part of revamping and restructuring of the TEVTA which have been declared top priority by the CM on various occasions recently.

CM Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has also approved formation of the Technical and Vocational Training Company (TEVTC) recently under which now the TEVTA would not need approval of Finance Department and P&D Department etc to utilise the budgetary allocations as the TEVTC would be under direct control of the chief minister.

The handing over of commerce education stream from the TEVTA to the education department was recently okayed by the chief minister with an aim to strengthen TEVTA so that the authority could focus technical education and vocational training in true spirit and could produce individuals required by industry.

It is important to mention here that vigorous exercise of revamping curricula of different trades and technologies is underway by the TEVTA these days while discussions were also in process with different international bodies to get accreditation and recognition of TEVTA's courses. So far curricula of 22 trades and four technologies have been revamped keeping in view the market demand.

When contacted, Higher Education Secretary Ahad Khan Cheema said the existing status of employees would continue and they would be dealt as a separate entity to avoid issues, including that of seniority. He said complete merger would be possible only with the passage of time.

TEVTA Chairman Saeed Ahmad Alvi confirmed that the summary had been moved and said efforts were being made to ensure that the seniority and pay of the employees to be shifted were protected, adding that best deal would be offered to them. The news

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