LAHORE: An analysis of fresh admissions to public medical and dental colleges in Punjab has exposed the `cramming academy mafia` operating in major cities of the province, as this year the number of successful students from small districts of southern and northern regions increased considerably.

The trend of maximum admissions shif ted from central Punjab to small districts after the University of Health Sciences increased difficulty level of papers to discourage the academy mafia in big cities, which had introduced an education system cultivating cramming studying intensively over a short periodof time just before an examination.

The dif ficulty level was increased in the wake of complaints about the mushroom growth of academies in major cities where owners were preparing students for entrance tests through rote system or a set pattern.

A majority of them were charging enormous fee with claims of above 90pc success.

Consequently, admission test results this year showed that for the first time number of candidates from central Punjab admitted to public me dical colleges had droppe d from 1,882 (61.2pc) last year to 1,795 (59.4pc) this year.

According to an official, the analysis showed ratio of students admitted from small districts, especially from south Punjab, had increasedconsiderably compared to the past: 135 candidates from Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur 114, Rahim Yar Khan 98, Dera Ghazi Khan 78 and Layyah 56. Last year, the total number of admitted students from these districts was 945, which had increased to 1,016 this time.

The official said public medical college admission results showed students from small and under-privileged districts were performing well compared to those from big cities.

The ratio from Islamabad had also dropped this year, as only 46 candidates were able to secure admissions compared to last year`s 54. Lahore witnessed a similar trend where 519 students managed to get admission compared to last year`s 594.

The statistics further showed thatfrom south Punjab 1,016 (33.6pc) candidates succeeded in getting admission to public me dical colleges as compared to 945 (31.3pc) last year. Similarly, the number of candidates from northern region of the province increased from 195 (6.5pc) last year to 211 (7pc) this time.

Surprisingly, the ratio of female and male students admitted this time remained the same as last year. There were 1,937 (64.1pc) girls and 1,085 (35.9pc) boys who succeeded in getting admission to 17 public medical colleges in Punjab.

The number of students who appeared for the entrance test increased in the current session compared to last year. This year, 45,156 candidates appeared. Last year, they were 41,677.