Nasim rules out possibility of question paper leak

Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammed Nasim said there was no scope for question paper leakage in MBBS admission test, report agencies.

"Rumour of question paper leakage was spread. Those who are doing this they are enemy of meritorious students," he told the journalists after visiting an admission test centre at the Dhaka University Medical Examination Centre on Friday.

"Those spreading rumours are enemies of the truly skilled. Don't listen to any such rumour about leaks."

This year the examiners decided to cut five points from any second-time test-takers. Though the matter was challenged in a petition, it was dismissed by the Supreme Court.

"We noticed there was an unfair disparity between those who retook the tests and those taking them for the first time," the health minister said. "Nearly 60 to 70 per cent of re-takers end up getting accepted and leave private institutions." "So we decided to deduct a few points from the re-takers and the Supreme Court has allowed it," he said.

Meanwhile, medical college applicants have taken their MBBS exam.

The exam was held at 34 centres in Dhaka's five divisions and major cities in other divisions and districts from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, the Health Department said.

Mobile phones, calculators, watches and all forms of electronic devices were banned from the examination halls.

A total of 82,856 applicants are competing for 9,343 positions at 105 government and private educational institutions.

There are 3,318 open spots at the 31 government medical colleges and 6,025 places in 74 private colleges.