PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to keep mobile phone service off to ensure transparency in Medical Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) scheduled for September 22 in 10 cities of the province.

Mobile phone service will remain suspended near examination centres. According to Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, 42,227 candidates including 23,284 male and 18,943 female will take test in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Khyber Medical University, which will conduct the test, has finalised arrangements in collaboration withprovincial government institutions to ensure transparent, peaceful and successful examination.

In this connection, a high level meeting was held at Civil Secretariat with Chief Secretary Mohammad Abid Majeed in the chair. Besides other measures, the meeting decided to suspend mobile phone service on the day of test. -The chief secretary ordered all relevant institutions to extend full support to KMU to conduct the test in fair manner.

The meeting was attended by Higher Education Secretary Kamran Afridi, Health Secretary Adil Shah, KMU Vice-chancellor Prof Ziaul Haq, MDCAT coordi-nator Prof Jawad Ahmed, KMU Registrar Inamullah Khan Wazir and all divisional commissioners.

The meeting decided imposition of Section 144 to maintain law and order and put in place Nadra`s biometric verification to ensure accurate identification of candidates taking the test.

It decided that students would be allowed to enter examination centres after checking their roll number slips and identification through either national identity card or Form B. Violations including possession of prohibited items during the test will lead to disqualification for two years, with registration of police cases.

The meeting was informed that special CCTV cameras would monitor test centres, and mobile phone jammers would be installed to prevent signal interruption.

A three-stage search process, including body searches and metal detectors, will be in place.

Women police personnel and lady health workers will be deployed at the centres to assist in body search of female candidates.

Students will not be allowed to bring watches, calculators, pens, pencils, jewellery, examination papers or ATM cards to centres. Bringing these items to the test centres will result in legal action under KMU`s unfair means (UFM) regulations.

Aspirants caught cheating or causing disorder will face a two-year disqualification from the test and may be banned from future educational programs as well.

The chief secretary was informed that a special traffic plan was devised to manage traffic flow around the centres and additional two-way BRT buses would operate on the day of the test for convenience of students.

Candidates will be provided with mineral water, juice, biscuits, ballpoints and examination boards at all the centres. Additionally, toilet facilities, first aid stations and medical teams of Rescue 1122 and health department will be available. Ambulance services will be stationed at each centre in case of emergency.

The chief secretary emphasised the importance of providing a supportive environment to students. He said that the future of many talented students depended on the outcome of the test. He praised KMU for its efforts and directed all agencies to ensure that additional facilities were extended to candidates.

Prof Ziaul Haq reassured the participants of the meeting that all arrangements were made for the smooth and transparent conduct of MDCAT 2024-25 with the support of provincial government.-Ashfaq Yusufzai