Admission criteria: Most varsity students say entry tests no good

Many say MCQ tests encourage a cramming culture.

DERA GHAZI KHAN:

Entry tests conducted by various universities before granting admissions to students are counterproductive and should be abolished, said a number of students during a survey conducted by The Express Tribune on Wednesday.

The students belonging to Dera Ghazi Khan district were asked whether entry tests were helping talented students or obstructing them.

Irum Khan, an MEd student, said that entry tests encouraged students to cram. “Students are forced to learn everything by heart in order to score good marks in tests that mostly consist of multiple choice questions (MCQ). There is no reward for developing better understanding of what they are taught. In other words, entry tests are helping book worms, not professionals,” she said.



Gohar Batool, another MEd student, defended the entry tests, saying they had their utility. “There is no doubt that most students are talented. However, most of them are unable to perform under pressure. These entry tests are another form of examinations. A good student need not be afraid of such tests,” she said.

Another student, Robina, said that a student’s proficiency should not be judged on the basis of a single test. “An intermediate student has spent more than 12 years studying. How can his ability be judged in 30 or 60 minutes?” she said. Robina said that entry tests were especially difficult for financially disadvantaged students. “A student from a village or a backward area takes the annul exams. After passing these exams, he has to undergo another test before he can get admission in a university,” she said.



Muhammad Akbar, a BEd Honours student, said that entry tests were good for vetting students’ skills. “Some students use unfair means to pass their exams. Such students are unable to pass the entry tests because of the strict vigilance during such exams,” he said.

Muhammad Asif, another university student, said that entry tests were an added burden on students. “A student applying for admission to a university has already passed matriculation and intermediate exams. There is no need to again test his skills and proficiency. What is the use of these exams if we have to take additional tests whenever we want to apply for a government job or get admission in Mphil or PhD?” he asked.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Government Elementary College Principal Prof Faiz Muhammad Khosa said that universities should use interviews to judge potential students, instead of just entry tests.

University of Education Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Aminud Deen said that entry tests were an important tool for universities to filter the candidates applying for admission in various disciplines.

“Students should focus on quality of education and not just the number of their degrees. The system of entry tests also needs to be improved,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 30^th, 2014.