University of Karachi Exam Dept to go online

KU Exam Department to go online
Karachi, Aug 06: The University of Karachi (KU) has decided to go online, so as to ensure a transparent and quick dispensing system in the Examinations Department, revealed KU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pirzada Qasim at a media briefing held at the university's campus on Wednesday.

The new system is being set up with the help of National Database Registration Authority (NADRA), and will come into operation from 2010 examinations. The online examination system will have a data bank of questions from all subjects, which will make it possible to set the questions in few minutes, eliminating delays that have plagued the university for a long time.

KU Controller of Examinations Prof. Dr Nasiruddin Khan detailed the dynamics of the proposed system, saying that under the plan, a directorate of examinations, enrolment, affiliation and registration is envisaged under one roof making it easier for the students and the university.

The university will take details of the students from NADRA through a specific code on a card, which will be valid till the time a student receives their degree. Students will be able to pay their fees online or through vouchers, saving time and hassle, and they can check their results through that card. The card will be checked by a scanner before the entry of the students in the examination hall. All the specific results will appear in the control room and to the person at the examination hall. Any discrepancy in the data will be dealt quickly, thereby minimising chances of impersonation or any other form of cheating.

Khan informed the press that all the results of the 2008- examinations were announced in July, while the supplementary examinations of all graduate-level examinations will be held shortly. The results of MA (External) examinations held recently will be announced in mid September, while MA examinations 2009 will also be held during the year, thus eliminating the backlog.

Prof Qasim said that since the university was facing a financial crunch, it may have to levy a minor service charge to the students. "This has become a necessity as we will have to hire 50-60 personnel in the computer cell. That will put additional expenses of 1.5m rupees to the university. "

Meanwhile the university announced that the examination forms and fees of regular students of B.A. (Pass), B.Sc, (Pass) and B.Com Supplementary Examinations -2008 could be submitted up to August 15. The news

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KU to set up Rs15m directorate for students' guidance
Karachi: The Karachi University (KU) plans to set up a directorate to provide online services to students and cater to their needs of affiliation, registration/enrolment and examination in order to curb financial losses and malpractices.

The project, with a planned cost of around Rs15 million, is yet to be approved by the university syndicate.

This was announced at a press conference held on the campus on Wednesday. Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, KU's vice-chancellor, and Prof Dr Nasiruddin Khan, controller exams and adviser to the vice-chancellor on examination affairs, briefed those present on the plans for the new directorate.

Speaking about the need for computerisation of the system, Dr Nasiruddin Khan said: "The university incurs huge losses every year due to the present manual system. It is inefficient not only because it consumes a lot of time, but also because it is more vulnerable to malpractices."

Under the project, admission- and examination-related work, for instance form submission, fee submission and registration, could be performed online and a link would be established with the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) for this purpose. Results would also be available on the Internet.

"Nadra would help us in terms of having the correct information about students. All external and internal students would be issued with a card having a computer-generated code number. The card, issued at the time of enrolment/registration, would also serve as an admit card at the time of examinations. This measure would be implemented for fresh enrolments for the 2010 session," he said, adding that special scanners would be used in examination halls to prevent impersonation.

Highlighting other changes under the project, he said that the directorate would be headed by a director-general, under whom three directors responsible for affiliation, examination and enrolment/registration would work.

A complex under construction for the purpose would be used for examinations in the morning and afternoon hours. At night, it would be rented out for marriages, he said, adding that this would help the university with revenue generation.

Regarding funding for the project, the vice-chancellor said that the university would welcome any help from the Higher Education Commission, but that if the HEC did not offer any funds, it would look for sponsors or fund the scheme through its own resources.

He assured those present that any increase in student fees on account of 'service charges' would be "minimal".

Interestingly, the university's budget, which was launched only last month, has no mention of this project, and neither has it been approved by the university's syndicate, which meets every month.

Security concerns: Meanwhile, members of the Karachi University Teachers' Society (Kuts) held a meeting with the vice-chancellor on Wednesday and apprised him of their concerns regarding security issues. According to sources, the focus of the discussion was the "hostile environment" being created on the campus by student groups having strong political support.

Such negative attitudes, the teachers said, were adversely affecting academic activities. The vice-chancellor was also requested to increase the number of watchmen on the campus in order to curb increasing incidents of robberies on KU's premises. Dawn

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Karachi University Lower Grade Staff!
Karachi: Dear All, it is to bring to the attention to the public at whole that the unco-operative Karachi University Lower Grade Staff i.e the gate guards/keepers, makes it real difficult for the students especially  for female candidates to pass through the second gate of the University Rd which is after the Silver Jubilee Gate and next to PSO Petrol Pump.

i myself have become their victim few times and last night they just reached to the extent of harresment by using rude and unacceptable conversation approach.

They don't allow students to pass through that particular gate even u show them the proof of being a current student of the university and last nnight while i was arguing on this issue with them they let pass couple of cars without even seeing their ids and when i inquired abou that thoughtful gesture of them one of the 3 guys raised his voice at me and declared that all those who got passed were from the intelligence.............!

Oh Well ! Do we need the intelligence that bad in the University ? and how do those gate keepers knew that those men were from the intelligence when the no. plates of all 3-4 cars were civilians, no uniform and plus the so called gate keepers who also threatened me to punish for asking them to let me pass through that particular gate, didn't even bother to check the ids or any kind of document from all those cars which passede while i was busy cracking those hard nuts.

This is Karachi University! an institution where students ..so called future of Pakistan goes to get education build their morale and firm their belief in justice, decipline and principles......Well one can better judge it  if we really can get from a place like that? - Hameeda hayat, shaheenhayat@yahoo.com

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Scholarship for ACCA students
Karachi: Sehrish Hussain Khan, ACCA student from, is one of this year's five winning ACCA students to be awarded a scholarship. The other winners are from China, Kenya and England. The Simpson Scholarship exists to reward talented ACCA students who have already proven their merit in the ACCA exams. The scholarship will fund the exam and registration fees for a period of five years or until they become members.

Sehrish, who won the scholarship based on her essay," How the award of a Scholarship will help me to realise my full potential", said: Since grade five I have always aspired to become a professional accountant. Moving ahead in life I learned that ACCA is the best professional qualification I can gain in accountancy."

The scholarship was made possible by Ms Muriel Simpson, a Fellow of ACCA, who in her Will, left her residuary estate to ACCA to fund a Scholarship programme to be called the 'Simpson Scholarship'.

Congratulating Sehrish on her achievement, Mr Arif Masud Mirza, Head of ACCA Pakistan, said: "Sehrish, like the other Scholarship winners, is an exceptional student and also demonstrates the values of ACCA. She aspires to serve public interest, just as ACCA members all over the world support their local businesses and aid their development. The five students chosen are truly inspirational and we know they will make very good use of the Scholarship." -By Noor Muhammad (ACCA Pakistan)

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Catholic-run schools re-open today
Schools and colleges run under the Catholic Board of Education will reopen on Thursday July 6 (today), after a three-day closure to condemn the atrocities committed against the Christian Community in Gojra, said an official of the Catholic Board of Education. The news

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