The combined admission tests for the country's medical and dental colleges for the 2015-16 academic session will be held on October 2.

The decision was taken on Thursday at a meeting held at the Health Ministry with Health Minister Mohammad Nasim in the chair, senior information officer of the ministry Parikshit Chowdhury told UNB.

The 100-mark one-hour multiple choice question (MCQ) examinations will be held at different centres across the country on the day for entrance to all public and private medical and dental colleges.

Former Health Minister Dr AFM Ruhal Haque, junior minister for Health and Family Welfare Zahid Malik, prime minister's health adviser Syed Modasser Ali, leaders of Bangladesh Medical Association, non-government Medical College Association and Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council and officials of the DGHS were, among others, present at the meeting.

According to the health ministry, there are 3,162 seats in 29 public medical colleges, while 5,325 in 64 private medical colleges for the MBBS course.

Besides, nine public dental colleges have 532 seats for the BDS course while 24 non-government dental colleges 1,280 seats.

The results of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations of 2015 were published on Sunday.

Average pass rate was 69.60 percent and. a total of 42,894 students got GPA-5. The pass rate of Madrasah (Alim) students was 90 percent, while it was 85.68 percent for the vocational students.