LAHORE: Entry tests for the Lahore University of Management and Sciences (LUMS), which were conducted in Lahore last week, were allegedly leaked by a local academy, a source told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity.
According to claims, a local academy, which specialises in preparing students for entry test examinations of prestigious universities in Lahore, leaked the LUMS Common Admission Test, commonly known as LCAT, a day ahead of the scheduled entry test.
The source further claimed that the owner of the academy leaked the LCAT for students enrolled at his academy. The academy (tuition centre) is also said to have tested students with the leaked entry test paper a day prior to the scheduled LCAT.
The latest admission test, held on February 12, has sparked controversy with rumours swirling around that something similar happened at the LUMS’ School of Science and Engineering, the entry test for which was held on February 11.
However, the administration at LUMS was quick to respond to the allegations, claiming to welcome any evidence which could be included in the already ongoing investigations at the 25-year-old institute.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, LUMS Vice Chancellor Dr Adil Najam said a complaint was brought to his notice two days ago. “We have spent all of today (Tuesday) and yesterday (Monday) investigating this,” he said.
One complaint was passed on to Dr Najam via twitter.
“We will not take this lightly,” said Dr Najam, adding that an inquiry is in process at the institute.
Dr Najam said he had interviewed invigilators at multiple test centres himself, after the situation was brought to his notice. “So far we have found nothing to indicate the test was leaked,” he said. “But we would encourage people to come forward if they have any evidence.”
Explaining the formulation of entry tests, the VC said different parts of the tests are compiled by different sections of the university. He claimed that process was very “stringent” and that people are not even allowed to take cell phones inside.
This is the first time an issue of the sort has surfaced at LUMS after Dr Najam took charge as Vice Chancellor last year. Although he expressed his concern regarding the allegations, he said that students who might not have performed well at the tests could be behind the rumour. “A disgruntled student can at times compromise the integrity of a competent system,” he said.
The admissions office at LUMS, however, said that such rumours were rife every year around the time entry tests are conducted. “The entire process is internal and crystal clear,” said Rabia Ahmed, the head of the Department of the Office of Admissions at LUMS. “We have to maintain the quality of our institute and we ensure that through checks and balances in our testing system,” she said.
Despite dismissing it as “rumours”, the management at LUMS has expressed its resolve to address the situation seriously. “Our 25 years of integrity is at stake,” Dr Najam said. “We will take action if provided with evidence,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2012.
COMMENTS (21)
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well i have studies my self in smart prep and i never heard such thing smart prep never gets involved in spurious activities ..
These rumours come up every year for every test. I remember 2 years ago the Smartprep people were telling us students there that they had inside contacts at lums and even in SAT because of Princeton Review and they will be able to get us admitted. Then the Leads Academy people were saying same thing to their students. In my own experience all these academies are liars and cheats.
i gave the test and some of my school mates admitted themselves that the verbal section had 2 comprehension passages leaked couple with a number of mathematics question spread around the sections...its not a mere allegation but a just a bitter sweet truth being shrouded
@Abdullah: Let me assure you, the Smartprep kids knew nothing about the paper, I prepared from there, their teachers came to my school who taught me and my class fellows. :) Honestly, my LCAT went 'okay', I'm not sure if I'll get in or not and quite honestly, I did my best and that's all that matters to me. If I got rejected because my paper wasn't good enough, then I hardly have any right to complain. What I object to is if my average paper was disregarded because some person who doesn't deserve it got in because had all the answers beforehand. But yeah, obviously, the ones who prepared at home have every right to be upset about this because they didn't attend any fancy tuition and worked hard for it themselves. We're all in the same boat now, let's hope LUMS does something so that the admission process becomes free and fair again. But they'd better come up with something quick!
@ayesha i totally yeild wid ur statements
Wouldn't the best thing to do in this case be for LUMS to hold a reset of the exam? Now that the seed of doubt has been planted in the minds of so many, the results of this exam and consequently the admission of students would create even more ambiguities. Only a few days have passed since the test took place. This would be the only time to take it again, which is what the university will have to do if the 'investigation' turns out to support the 'rumors'. So why not reschedule a reset now and clear the doubt in everybody's mind. Also, as much as I respect and admire the university, who's to say they won't do anything to protect their reputation? It would be the first impulse of any prestigious university.
One of my friends knew some questions already that came in the Lcat. As per my information I am quite sure that many questions were repeated and the leads academy, smart prep knew the ppr already. That's unfair for students like me who didn't studied from any academy. Do something about it lums..
The thing which is most pertinent in this issue is whether these so-called rumors are spread by "disgruntled students" or by students such as me who worked hard for something. I gave the LCAT on Feb 12 at the punjab examination halls and I heard my fellow schoolmates exclaim with delight how they had done various questions beforehand especially the passage based on India-china relationship in one of the verbal section. My question is simple: who will compensate the students who prepared privately and are now in threat of not doing well because apparently some other students knew what was coming up in the LCAT? Let me point two things catagorically: a) The real culprit of this case is not the student body who knew unwillingly what came in the Lcat but the academy which facilitated the leakage. b) LUMS by no means should be tarnished as an institution because clearly they are willing to investigate the wrongdoing. I prepared for my LCAT privately and thought that i did well but now that peace of doing well is not there any more.
as far as the excuse tht these rumours are spread by students who didnt perform well on the test! well to be honest the most affected ones are those who worked day and nite to get into lums and ultimately they com to know tht students worse thn them performed extremelyy well just becoz they already had solved the entire lcat 2012!
lcat was indeed leaked out and tht too by leads academy
These are no rumours. I can say that because I was given that leaked paper by someone as a 'practice' paper before the test. There was a security lapse and they need to investigate more and admit it. Alot of deserving candidates will suffer otherwise. The test was pretty easy but seriously disappointing. I expected a more mature test. LUMS has lost pretty much all respect in my eyes.
It is very sad to see the LUMS name tarnished at the hands of unfair play. Although this isn't the first time that we've seen an entry test leaked and vandalized but seeing LUMS become a victim brings tons of sorrows. The fact that LUMS was the one university which had upheld its admissions criteria in Pakistan free from all practices of 'sifarish' instilled in us a sense of respect for the Institution but I'm afraid it has now faded. I personally do not support the LCAT because it is a copy of the SAT itself and i've heard many times of questions being copied or repeated. To maintain the standard of such testing, they must make extraordinary efforts in both developing the tests and preventing any future leaks.I sincerely hope the culprits are brought to justice, which would include faculty at LUMS who let this happen.
Zahra i am sorry to say but your remarks cleraly suggest you are absolutely clueless about the lums admission system to the very core. I having been a part of LUMS for over four years a student can testify that LUMS never compromises on its merits/integrity/norms. LUMS has an extremely competitive addmission system that entails your academic record,extracirrcular and SAT in my days thats now been replaced by LGAT. I am sure VC would reach to the crux of this issue and act aptly as per the situation.
Lums test is already a piece of cake, who would flunk anyway? lol
Actually did see some of the questions that came in the paper in the morning before the exam..A friend showed it and to my surprise many q's were repeated.However, I'm not sure who is the guilty one.But it is a good step by VC that the matter is looked upon into and allegations are not merely dismissed as 'rumour'. P.S My paper was fine.No harm intended to the university or the academy !
Good to see LUMS taking a tough line on this and the VC making a bold and clear statement. LUMS has always stood for integrity and I hope the VC will take the strongest action against these tinpot academies that are ruining the LUMS name in their little publicity gimmicks and rumour factories.
@GS@Y: the entry test generates millions in revenue for the institution
@GS@Y: SAT is expensive and not everyone can afford to pay. Secondly, SATs started a few years back and too many seats were filled up. I remember a friend of mine who had to go to Dubai to give his SAT. Thirdly, the LCATs are made with a Pakistani education system in mind. Surely, you don't expect to judge matriculation students with a test which is more 'inherently' suited to the foreign boards. Just my thoughts.
Some losers who could not perform well in the test might be spreading rumors.
Why is LUMS even running these LCATs? In my day in the early 2000s, we just took SATs. I am not fully convinced of the need for LUMS to administer such an admission test of its own. SATs is a standardized test the world over and is administered by an organization that specializes in the various aspects of testing verbal and mathematical skills among high school graduates. LUMS has nowhere near the kind of expertise, training and wherewithal to run a similarly substantial test. And the costs to prospective students and LUMS itself of such an attempt are pretty large.