KARACHI, Dec 19: About 35 per cent of Karachi-domiciled male and female applicants for three-year contract job of lecturers in government colleges did not turn up for a written test held on Dec 14.

According to a senior official at the provincial education department, out of 16,517 registered candidates, 13,678 appeared in tests held at four centres in the province simultaneously.

In Karachi, over 4,000 people, including 2,500 female candidates, had applied for the jobs. However, only 2,663 candidates appeared in the test. The turn up of applicants at Karachi remained about 65 per cent.

The overall turn up of candidates at the four centres has been calculated around 82 per cent, added the official.

However, academicians were not surprised over the considerable drop in the number of candidates from Karachi and viewed that perhaps those who were already employed in private sector organization, finally, did not like to take so much pain for any contractual appointment.

It is understood that the adhoc appointees would be getting only the initial pay and perks of a grade 17 government employee and that did not suit to the Karachi domiciled candidates, particularly the male ones, who in many cases are already drawing more from jobs in private sector, added a teacher.

Sources in the education department said that the College of Business Management had informed the department that scrutiny of the answer scripts and preparation of subject-wise award lists of candidates would be finalized within a week, following which the arrangements for interviews of the candidates would be made.