HEC stated the NTS was not an officially approved testing service. PHOTO: HEC.GOV.PK
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has informed all universities in the country that they are not required to use tests organised by the National Testing Services (NTS) to grant admissions or award scholarships.
In a letter dated May 27, which many universities received Friday, the HEC stated the NTS was not an officially approved testing service. It proposed a regulatory framework to establish, monitor and supervise a national testing service.
The letter was written in the wake of an LHC judgment, stating that the NTS tests were not mandatory for admission to masters, MPhil or PhD programmes.
The letter stated that the HEC considered the discontinuation of admission tests detrimental to the quality of education. “Discontinuation of admission tests (GAT General, Subject or International GRE, SAT, or tests prescribed and undertaken by the universities) will derail the process of quality assurance. It will also negatively affect the international compatibility of MPhil and PhD awards,” the letter stated. It said the NTS could continue to operate as a private entity.
The HEC informed universities it would not sign a contract with the NTS or any other entity until they were approved under the HEC Ordinance. “The existing arrangement between the HEC and the NTS shall only continue till May 30.”
The letter mentioned that the high court ruling will not affect the admissions and scholarships granted or refused previously on the basis of NTS tests.
In the letter, HEC Chairman Mukhtar Ahmed urged universities to refrain from giving up the standardised test requirement till the HEC prescribed a new test or testing body in accordance with the LHC order.
Ahmed told The Express Tribune that universities must have a test before admitting students into graduate programmes, and this may be any test. He said this was not in violation of the LHC’s order, and the Law Department had vetted the letter. “This system will be in place until the HEC makes a national policy,” he said.
The HEC had engaged NTS in September 2003 to administer standardised tests across Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 31st, 2014.
COMMENTS (7)
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There was confusion in NTS tests, as observed many candidates cleared same NTS tests taken for jobs HST JST and others, but could not clear M.Phil tests? Another story appears that intelligent students seemed to appear for Mphil tests more than five times? such unbalanced issues felt like violation by NTS. and HEC should introduce such testing system if necessary only for Scholarships grants not for M.Phil admission, coz, that affects the literacy ratio to increase. Thanks
good decision by lahore high court nts is not a transparent body for testing but it is a money collecting agency from poor and jobless students.
but there is stil nts criteria in mpil admision stil confusion please inform me 03149383631
i think its good decision to cancel gat test for Ms and master admission.because its totally irrelevant to according to the student subject.its good news to our students that universities will conduct subject test and no more last the students golden years......i take this test so many times but result is always 3 to 4 marks differences.nts admission also very high...thats not suitable for unemployment and poor student........
I appreciate to The Chairman HEC for acting upon the Verdict of Lahore High Court to diminish the NTS Tests for University Admissions. I think it was injustice with Universities and Students to appear in NTS test and it also affected the status of Universities. it also showed that the Universities could not conduct valid testing Services and lack the Merit... Fee structure of NTS was also very high so the poor candidate if got failure in the exams could not appear again due to expenses. Thanks to LHC Thanks to Ch. HEC
Is NTS really a transparent testing body? If it is, then why hasn't NTS announced the result of one of the tests it conducted three months ago? Not to mention they don't even show the result of those candidates who have failed according to them. Every student has the right to view his marks whether he passed or failed. Transparency in Pakistan is only a dream many of us wish to come true.
Dear cocern authority: If NTS is not an HEC approved body, then how and why it is working since last 14 years? If HEC wants to cancel the roll of NTS, Then the govt should have as free and transparent testing body as NTS is. However the admission fee should not be more than Rs.300. Its voice of the nation,not my personal openion.
International GRE is even no more accepted, because it affects the process of quality assurance!!!!
Thats the biggest joke of the century... Time to leave Pakistan..#AzadAdliya!!!