LAHORE - The Punjab University (PU) has decided that the departments wanted to conduct separate entry test for admission keeping in view the specific nature of their subjects would be allowed to conduct the entrance test and the same would be presented before the syndicate for approval. It was decided in a meting held under the chairmanship of Vice-Chancellor Punjab University Dr Mujahid Kamran here on Monday. The meeting was also attended by Deans, Chairmen and Principals of the constituent colleges of the PU. PU has already abolished the formality of entry test conducted by the National Testing Service (NTS) for admission in its various departments. PU Registrar Prof Dr Naeem Ahmad Khan said that the university provided a guideline to offer weightage to the Matric, Intermediate and Bachelor degree including marks obtained in the relevant subject to make aggregate marks which is 70 percent weightage and 30 per cent to the practical skills and some know in the subject to be evaluated through local test and interview by the respective departments. For instance, a student who wanted to secure admission in Arts and Crafts should have the knowledge of sketches and pencil drawing or a student of Art and Literature or Science some basic information on the subject while a student of Arabic and Persian disciplines should have know-how and aptitude in the language concerned. Dr Naeem Khan said the admission had been simplified and there was no compulsion of NTS as compared to previous year. PU responded to the popular demand and lessened the hardship of students and parents. The President of Academic Staff Association of the PU, Prof Dr Mumtaz Salik, however, said that the university should dispense with the test to be organised by the individual departments and allow admission purely on merit basis evaluating the Matric, Intermediate, BA, and marks in the relevant subject only. He said there should be uniform admission policy in all the departments and stressed to announce the admission according to the demands of the teachers who pleaded for outright support of merit. He said the merit policy should also be followed in the evening classes while admission on self finance scheme of 15 percent seats in the morning shifts should also be abolished in line with the policy of elimination of self finance scheme in professional colleges and universities. Prof Dr Jamil Anwar Chaudhry said being Chairman of Admission Committee, he had taken opinion from the heads of the departments about the university entry test and about 50 percent were in its favour while other 50 percent were against the entry test. He said admission was not possible without entry test in some subjects like fine arts and some subjects of science and a final decision in this regard would be taken in couple of days. PU Admission Committee Chairman Dr Jamil has termed the statement of PU Academic Staff Association President Dr Mumtaz Salik published in daily national newspapers as baseless and contradictory in which it had been stated that 95 percent teachers at PU were against entry test for BA/BSc and MA/MSc level admissions.