All the students but not enough facilities

Most of the institutions do not have a dedicated computer lab for their students, while some don’t even have teachers

KARACHI:

The Admissions Policy formulated by the Department of College Education for admission of first-year students in Karachi’s government colleges without the involvement of college principals, has hinted at several irregularities and various cases of gross mismanagement.

It has been revealed that some of the city’s most reputable government colleges have been actively reducing merit, in admissions granted for the Faculty of Computer Sciences. This merit has been reduced by 80 marks; representing a 200 to 400 per cent increase in seats in about two dozen government colleges, resulting in colleges with exhausted resources and feeble infrastructure to admit students in excess, many of whom will not have access to the most basic of facilities.

According to college sources speaking on conditions of anonymity, most of these institutions despite touting a qualification in computer sciences, do not have a dedicated computer lab for their students, while some don’t even have teachers.

For instance, a government college in Scheme 33 area of Karachi does not have a single computer on its campus, but has admitted about 200 students who will all be pursuing computer sciences.

Similarly, a committee formed by Director General Colleges Sindh in Government Boys College Ghazi Goth Scheme 33, established in Karachi last year, admitted 250 students in the Faculty of Computer Sciences. The college does not have a single computer sciences teacher, while the college principal claims that the college has only six computers in its lab. College sources however refuted the principal’s claims, stating that there is no computer lab in the college at all.

“Some 200 admissions were given in the merit list issued earlier, after which 50 more students were admitted on the basis of claim,” said College Principal Professor Khaliq Rajpar, while confirming that there are no computer teachers in the college. However, the principal still maintained that the college has six computers, while they are hoping to get some more.

Another college principal speaking on conditions of anonymity, said that cut-off marks have been dropped in some government colleges to reduce merit. Citing the example of Khatun Pakistan College and Government College SRE Majeed Stadium Road, the college principal said that the merit in Khatun Pakistan has been brought down at 610 whereas last year it was at 688 marks.

Similarly, SRE Majeed College has brought merit up to 611. This merit closed at 690 marks last year. The college principal further said that it is surprising that this time the results of matric students have been higher due to holding papers with scoring marks only. “This shows that the cut off marks have been dropped and the recommended candidates have been adjusted in different colleges,” he added.

Confirming the claim, SRE Majeed College’s Principal Aqeel Ahmed also said that the cut off marks or merit has been reduced. “We have been sent merit list of 250 students with 611 cut off marks and so far 190 students have paid their fees” he told.

It is to be noted that the Centralised Admission Policy for first-year admissions in government colleges of Sindh began 21 years ago in the year 2000, so that admissions could take place on merit basis and without any pressure.

The policy was later made online. To implement this policy every year, a committee consisting of senior principals of Karachi colleges was formed, which was involved in the entire process from the beginning to the end of admissions to keep the whole process transparent. However, this time, so was not the case and the policy for admission of more than 0.1 million students was handed over to Rashid Khoso, an assistant director of grade 17.

The Express Tribune also contacted Assistant Director Rashid Khoso in this regard and inquired about the contents of the news, to which he replied: “At the same time, we have expanded colleges in Karachi. We have started four new colleges. These include Maryam Mukhta College and Ghazi Goth College and two other colleges.”

Khoso however declined allegations of deteriorating merit and cut-off marks in colleges, stating that the cut off marks are decided by a computer programme. “Regarding the increase in the number of seats in colleges, it is the principals who are making claims. Ask them to show it in the dashboard of their system’s portal. It remains to be seen how many confirmed admissions there are,” he maintained.

Per Khoso, there are two categories of students who have passed matriculation: those who have secured A1 grade and A grades, and others who have passed in COD grades. “There is no middle ground. So we have to adjust these students. This is how the result is formed,” he told The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3^rd, 2021.