The Pakistan Rhodes Scholarship Committee will meet here on Friday at the Fast University to elect a scholar for two years'graduate studies at the Oxford University in England. Rhodes Scholarship Committee received 600 applications from Pakistani aspirants but short-listed only seven on the basis of academic attainments.
The seven short listed scholars have been invited to appear for final selection on Friday, when the final selection for the award of Rhodes scholarship will be made. In terms of universal recognition, Rhodes scholarship carries the same distinction as the Nobel Prize.
The following are the names of the short listed candidates: Mohammad Ali Rai; Mohammad Asad Farid Khwaja; Dr Muhammad Naushewn Khan; Hasan Rae; Maria Babar; Iqbal Faridi; Moeenud Asad, Ali Soomro and Ashkar Aziz. All seven pre-elected candidates show inclination of studying science subjects.
Only one candidate will be selected from Pakistan. A Rhodes Scholar chosen in Pakistan will receive Great Britain Pound 954 per month plus all University and College fee, as well as his travelling expenses to Great Britain. The scholar is expected to report at the Oxford University in 2009.
After receiving notice of his/her election a scholar must write to the Warden, Rhodes House, stating their preference for studying in one of the 29 Colleges, including the prestigious Balliol, Brasenose, Christ Church, Corpus Christi, Magdalen, Lincoln, Pembroke, Trinity, University, and Worcester Colleges.