Transparency in testing

Letter June 28, 2023
Transparency in testing

KARACHI:

Last year, the National Testing Service (NTS) announced that it will recruit 715 vaccinators BPS–06 for the expanded immunisation programme in Sindh. Thousands of candidates applied for these posts, but the procedure was very slow. After 16 months, NTS finally conducted tests in June 2023. The notorious testing agency repeated its old practice of not sharing carbon copies with applicants. This has left applicants feeling dubious and wondering whether the results will be transparent and based on merit or not.

Unfortunately, the students and graduates of Sindh have long been deprived of their fundamental rights of equal and fair treatment enshrined in the Constitution of 1973 and the Universal Human Rights Declaration of 1948. The federal and provincial governments should act to improve transparency and meritocracy in government jobs.

All testing agencies should be directed to share carbon copies with applicants and prioritise transparency and honesty. Secondly, results must be announced within three to four days after tests are finished. This can be done through a single standard optical mark reader machine that can check over 10,000 tests in just an hour. NTS and all other testing agencies must be advised to ensure merit and avoid nepotism and favouritism. We must follow good morals and meritocracy to enjoy development and prosperity in the future.

Imtiaz Essa Halepoto

Jamshoro

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2023.

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