Medical colleges entrance test self-scoring system

Self-scoring system for medical colleges entrance test
Rawalpindi, Sept 07: University of Health Sciences is introducing self-scoring system in the entrance test for medical colleges in Punjab being held on September 27 to ensure complete transparency in the evaluation of answer scripts of the candidates."The UHS is introducing the unique system of self-scoring, under which a candidate would be able to confirm by himself/herself that he/she has been fairly assessed in the medical colleges' entrance examination," said Vice Chancellor University of Health Sciences Prof. Malik Hussain Mubbashar while speaking at an orientation seminar about the examination at Rawalpindi Medical College.

UHS conducts the entrance tests for public and private medical and dental colleges in the province and prepares the merit list of the selected candidates. The university was entrusted this responsibility last year by the provincial government after a large number of complaints against the previous system.

Prof Malik said the university ever since taking over the responsibility of conducting entry tests has made untiring efforts for ensuring fairness and transparency during the process.

Explaining the features of the self-scoring system, Mr Malik said, the candidates would be given a double-sheeted, pre-printed, bar-coded answer script. The upper sheet would be coloured, whereas the carbonized lower sheet would be black and white and both sheets would be stapled.

The upper coloured sheet is to be returned to invigilation staff at the end of the test, while the candidate shall keep the lower, black and white sheet, which would be a copy of the original answer script filled by the candidate and can be later used by him/her for self evaluation of the responses against a key containing the correct replies to be released by the university shortly after the exam.

"The students would in this way be able to calculate their marks much before the official result is declared and would also remove any doubts about the fairness of the evaluation system," Prof Malik told the students, who had turned up in large numbers to learn about the testing system.

Moreover, the university would be using five different sets of questions in the examination each having different colour. The students would be assigned questionnaires in such a way that no two students sitting next to each other would have same question paper. This system was introduced last year to rule out chance of cheating within the exam hall.

The examination would simultaneously be held in 12 cities of the province – Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, Multan, D.G.Khan, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Wah Cantt, Rawalpindi.

Students are required to pass the entrance tests scoring at least 40 per cent of 1100 marks exam having 220 multiple choice questions.

"There will be negative marking in the entrance test. Each correct answer carries five marks, while for each wrong answer one mark will be deducted from the total score," explained the vice chancellor.

The marks obtained in the test constitutes 30 per cent of the weightage in the final merit list, whereas the marks secured by a candidate in the intermediate make the remaining 70 per cent of the final tally for the merit. Dawn

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Education facilities in rural areas to be improved
Islamabad: Improvement of rural learning facilities is on top in the National Education Policy 2009, as the government has set ambitious targets for the provision of universal quality education across the country.

The long-awaited education policy has been finalised after necessary consultations with stakeholders, and it was expected to be submitted in the next cabinet meeting for approval, sources said.

Similarly, reducing the gender gap at educational facilities and control on drop-out rates have also been given consideration, and recommendations for the provision of financial and food support to poor children have been incorporated for the purpose, sources added.

As per details, the federal government intends to allocate seven per cent of the GDP for the education sector by 2015. The provinces and the centre plan to achieve the goal of universal and free primary education by 2015, and then free education up to matriculation by 2025.

Subsequently, as per instruction of the federal cabinet, inputs of provincial chief ministers have been included to make the policy more strong and effective. Earlier, approval of the education policy 2009 was postponed by the federal cabinet on April 8 to ensure the participation of the provinces, sources said.

It was learnt that public schools would be brought at par with private schools and colleges to ensure a uniform education system. Revision of existing parallel education systems is underway, and a decision in this regard is expected by the next year.

Meanwhile, the promotion of Urdu language as a medium of communication to enhance national integrity is the hallmark of the upcoming policy. Besides, regional languages including Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi and others have also been given priority as learning and teaching tools in areas of their respective influence, the officials added. The news

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Teachers to protest if MNA not arrested
Islamabad: The Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA) on Sunday threatened to stage protest demonstrations across the capital city if PML-N MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan was not arrested within 24 hours for what they called thrashing a professor and ransacking the college. The FGCTA president, Prof Qasim Masood, said that a meeting of the association members would be held at the Federal Government College, F-10/4, on Monday (today) to discuss the future course of action if the government did not arrest the MNA.

Prof Masood said that a case had already been registered against Anjum Aqeel Khan under Sections 148, 149, 186, 353, 427 and 506 of Pakistan Penal Code. He said the police had raided the MNA's residence and offices but could not arrest him. Prof Masood said that if the MNA was not arrested within 24 hours the teachers and students would boycott the academic activities and stager protest demonstrations all over the city till he was brought to justice. Masood said that the FGCTA, students and faculty would also stage a peaceful demonstration outside the Shalimar Police Station on Tuesday. Daily times

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Grammar School honoured
Rawalpindi: Grammar School Rawalpindi has been selected as one of the eight best practicing institutions for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) of Unesco ASP net in the Asia -Pacific region. According to a press release issued here Saturday, a delegate from the Korean National Commission for Unesco (KNCU) will be visiting the school on September 11, along with prominent educationists and representatives from the Federal Ministry Education. Students would present exhibits, short dramatic presentations, interactive presentations and other accomplishments based on the theme of ESD. A major feature of the event would be the, 'Connecting Classrooms' Cluster Partnership Programme and GSR Global School Linkages through British Council, iEARN, and Asian Youth Forum.

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Students of Shahzad Town celebrate Defence Day
Islamabad: About six hundred school children, their teachers and parents marched in the streets of Shahzad Town here on Sunday morning to celebrate the Defence Day of Pakistan.

According to a press release issued here, the students holding placards inscribed with the patriotic messages and carrying national flags marched in their streets of the town while singing national songs and raising slogans in favour of the country. For the residents of Shahzad Town, it was a very unique way of celebrating any defence day. The march-past was an impressive demonstration of complete harmony and unity among the locals from all walks of life.

The last part of the event also highlighted the spirit and enthusiasm of the young ones to dedicate themselves for the solidarity and prosperity of the country.

The event was organized by the Federal Government Junior Model School, Shahzad Town, supported by the Knowledge Based Society (KBS) and Development Communications Network (DEVCOM-Pakistan). The KBS and DEVCOM-Pakistan have jointly initiated a campaign on the Independence Day of Pakistan this year to mobilize the common citizens and local communities to demonstrate their action on 'unity, faith, discipline', the golden saying of the founder of Pakistan Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Dr. Shaukat Farooq, head of the Knowledge Based Society, while speaking on the occasion said that presently Pakistan was being portrayed in the international media, as violent and the most dangerous country in the world. "We can change this image to a peace-loving and peaceful nation with the help of our children," he said.

DEVCOM-Pakistan Chairman Munir Ahmed while highlighting the importance of defence day said that Pakistani youth would play a pivotal role in strengthening our ideological and geographic boundaries, we need to groom and guide them accordingly. The news

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