Higher education: Committee calls for ending entry tests for universities
The Examinations and Admissions Reforms Committee on Saturday recommended that entry tests for admission to universities be abolished.
The committee made the suggestion at a meeting chaired by Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan.
Chief Minster Shahbaz Sharif had formed the committee to reform the examination and admission system.
The committee questioned the need for admission tests given a ‘reformed’ examination system at the intermediate level.
It said that entry tests conducted by medical and engineering universities amounted to no more than a duplication of the exams taken at the intermediate level.
Arif Hussain Bhatti, a spokesperson for the education minister, confirmed that the committee had suggested ending the entry test system.
“The committee has made the recommendation but no final decision has been taken in this regard,” Bhatti told The Express Tribune.
“The matter requires further deliberation,” he said.
Bhatti said a decision in this regard would apply to medical and engineering universities in both public and private sectors.
Saturday’s meeting was attended by University of Engineering and Technology and University of Health Sciences vice chancellors, representatives of the Higher Education Department and the School Education Department and Nasrullah Virk, the head of Punjab Boards Committee of Chairmen.
Virk is also the chairman of the Lahore Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education.
Higher Education Commission chairman Mukhtar Ahmed said the commission would react once it had reviewed the content of the committee’s proposal.
He said a mechanism to standardise entry into higher education institutions was necessary.
He also said education was a provincial subject after the approval of the 18th Amendment. “It is vital to standardise the process to bring about improvements in higher education. We should ensure that our students are able to compete… at the global level.”
He said while quality of intermediate examinations had improved, ensuring quality at entry to higher education was essential.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 21st, 2014.
COMMENTS (24)
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It should not finished
Entry test should Be finished
I get 936 marks in fsc.can l get admission in medical college next year?@Bisma Shakeel:
This is a pathetic recommendation. First of all only experienced medical professors should be allowed to devise a system for entrance into medical colleges and not non-medical people who know nothing about the profession. Secondly entrance tests are carried out in India and myriad other countries for entry into medical colleges. In an education system like ours where impersonaters are caught in board exam every now and then, abolishing entry test will further deteriorate the situation. This will only benefit corrupt people who fail to get in on merit and through competence.
Abolishing entry tests gives a "level playing field"? All it does is make induction easier for students of local boards where cheating is still fairly common. Rote learning is still present, ask anyone. Our teachers still tell us to write what the book tells us, not what we understand and perceive about a topic.
it should be end. so that we become hopefull.
This is really not going to be a good decision....as entrance exam is the last hope for federal board and A level students.......it must not be abolished!
This is really not going to be a good decision as entrance exam is the last hope for federal board and A level students......
@Bisma Shakeel: i pray for ur addmission
ENTRANCE TESTS SHOULD NEVER BE ABOLISHED, THIS DECISON IS ONLY TO FAVOUR THE CORRUPT AND SIFARISHI PEOPLE. WE STAND WITH MCAT!
The entry test for seeking admission in universities must be abolished immediately. However; a scheme of entry test to be introduced for becoming the member of Parliament in Pakistan,
It is very wrong decision
Entry test should be ended. Poor students do not prepare for the test due to lack of money and due to this reason they don't give entry test
@ayesha: yup.....u r absolutely right
this decision is not good specially for federal board students as papers are more difficult then other boards and marking is more strict. also cheating system and paper leakage is much more common in other boards. it may or may not be a better decision. but if implemented then it should be in 2016...because students who have appeared in 1st year of fsc and have not secured good marks cannot get admission on fsc basis. secondly, students who are in 1st year now, will start working hard from now onwards and can secure good marks in fsc part 1 & 2. thirdly, the repeaters of this year will have problem if they have not secured good marks in fsc as admission in all other coleges and universities have closed..
this decision is not good specially for federal board students as papers are more difficult then other boards and marking is more strict. also cheating system and paper leakage is much more common in other boards. it may or may not be a better decision. but if implemented then it should be in 2016...because students who have appeared in 1st year of fsc and have not secured good marks cannot get admission on fsc basis. secondly, students who are in 1st year now, will start working hard from now onwards and can secure good marks in fsc part 1 & 2. thirdly, the repeaters of this year will have problem if they have not secured good marks in fsc as admission in all other coleges and universities have closed..
this decision is not good specially for federal board students as papers are more difficult then other boards and marking is more strict. also cheating system and paper leakage is much more common in other boards. it may or may not be a better decision. but if implemented then it should be in 2016...because:- students who have appeared in 1st year of fsc and have not secured good marks cannot get admission on fsc basis. secondly, students who are in 1st year now, will start working hard from now onwards and can secure good marks in fsc part 1 & 2. thirdly, the repeaters of this year will have problem if they have not secured good marks in fsc as admission in all other coleges and universities have closed..
it may be a better decision but it should be implemented after 2 yrs so the coming fsc students should have this idea and they start preparing for fsc better...so in 2016 there should be no entry test. but it should be continued in 2015
I got 981 in F.s.c but I had no hope of admission but this decision made me hopeful that i will get admission this year or the next in a good medical college.Insha Allah.Praying that this decision becomes fruitful,
even though we A levelers are educated by the finest education system in the world recognised by many major universities the world over including oxford,cambridge,MIT,harvard etc yet we have to sit in exams based on fsc .this is extremely unfair O and A levels students should have the right to sit in entry tests based on alevels I SAY SEPERATE THE TWO STREAMS!
entry test should not be ended. Committe should made some changes to make it better......