LAHORE   -   The University of Health Sciences (UHS) on Friday started online registration for the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT)-2019. The registration process will continue till July 29.

Briefing the media about registration for MDCAT, Vice Chancellor Prof Javed Akram said that a helpline had been activated by the Bank of Punjab (BoP) to resolve the issues.

He said that no document was required to be attached with the online application form and the system of registration was kept very simple for the convenience of candidates.

Prof Javed Akram said the 150-minute test would start at 10:00am on August 25 (Sunday) simultaneously in Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sargodha, Sahiwal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan and Hasan Abdal. He urged the candidates to reach their respective centres at least before 9:00 AM on the test day. All centres would be sealed at 9:15 AM and after that nobody would be allowed to enter the examination hall. He added that without his/her admittance card and original CNIC/passport, no candidate would be allowed to participate in the test.

Candidates securing at least 70 per cent marks in HSSC (Pre-Medical) or equivalent examinations and having domicile of any district of Punjab, Islamabad, and Gilgit-Baltistan would be eligible to sit the admission test.

Those awaiting results, however, could also appear. He said there would be a single question paper consisting of 200 objective-type questions, divided into four sections: Biology (80 questions), Chemistry (60 questions), Physics (40 questions) and English (20 questions).

A candidate would answer the test by filling the circles on the response form. Only one circle must be filled for one question. Filling more than one circle for single question would be considered a wrong answer. He said that as per the policy of Pakistan Medical & Dental Council, there would be no negative marking in the test this year. Each correct answer would carry one mark and the total marks would be 200.

He added that there would be question papers of four codes in which the questions and their answers would be shuffled to avert cheating.

 This year, colour codes would not be used and all the papers would be white. The code of the paper would be printed on the first page of the question paper. He said that biometric verification of identity of candidates would be ensured this year. He advised candidates not to bring any calculator, digital/smart watches, cell phone or notes. Analog watches are allowed. “Candidates are only allowed to bring blue ball point pens and not any markers, pointers or pencils,” he added. He further said that this year the candidates would be allowed to take question paper with them after the test. However, the candidates must detach and hand over the first page of the question paper, containing their name and signatures, to the invigilation staff before they leave the centre. He said the UHS would upload the answer keys of question paper on its website on the same day after the test. The candidates would be able to calculate their scores with the help of carbonized copy of their response forms which they would retain after the test, he said and added that the answer keys would also be published in major national dailies the next day.

Referring to the regulations of the PM&DC, he said the merit of a candidate would be worked out by adding the marks of intermediate and MDCAT in the ratio of 50:50 per cent. There would be no weightage for matriculation marks this year.