• Officials say mobile phone jammers being installed at exam centres
• Over 23,000 girls among 38,000 students who will appear in test tomorrow

KARACHI: The Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) is taking all ‘humanly possible’ measures — including installation of mobile jammers at the exam centres — to prevent paper leak in this year’s Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) being organised on Sunday (tomorrow).

This was stated by DUHS Pro Vice Chancellor Prof Nazli Hossain at a press conference held on Friday at A.Q. Khan Auditorium, Ojha campus.

This year, the exam would be held at six centres in five cities of the province simultaneously with more than 38,000 students participating in the admission test.

In Karachi, with 12,846 candidates, the test will be conducted at two centres: DUHS cricket ground (Ojha campus) and the NED University.

“As per directives of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, cell phone jammers will be installed at exam centres and no unauthorised person, including media personnel, will be allowed to enter the exam centre,” said Ms Hossain.

The provincial government had issued guidelines to all relevant departments and the city administration that might impose Section 144 of the criminal procedure code, if needed.

“Body search of students would be carried out in three stages. They must not bring anything except their admit cards, computerised national identity cards or identity documents.

“Everything else — which may include a pen, a facemask, a calculator, a Bluetooth, a ring or even a cellphone — would be thrown into the dustbin and the concerned administration would not be responsible for the loss,” she warned, adding that if a student was caught with any of these things during exam, his or her paper would be cancelled.

She urged the candidates to arrive at the centre a bit early (reporting time 7am-9am) to avoid any inconvenience and that the exam centre would provide with all necessary items, including a water bottle.

Replying to a question, DUHS Controller Examination Dr Fuad Sheikh said that 23,166 female students were appearing for the test out of the total 38,678 candidates in Sindh.

“In Karachi, 9,472 female candidates will be appearing for the exam,” he said, adding that answer keys would be uploaded on the Dow University website after 6pm on the evening of Sept 22.

According to DUHS officials, the admission test will be held simultaneously in Karachi, Shaheed Benazirabad (Nawabshah), Larkana, Hyderabad (Jamshoro), and Sukkur.

The Liaquat University of Health Sciences and Bilawal Sports Complex have been designated as exam centres in Jamshoro (for over 12,000 candidates) and Shaheed Benazirabad (for 2,800 candidates), respectively.

The IBA Public School and the Police Training Centre will serve as exam centres in Sukkur (for 5,500 candidates) and Larkana (for 4,800 candidates), respectively.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2024