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Karachi University entry test controversy
Flawed' entry test stirs controversy: KU's MS, PhD programmes
| Karachi, Nov 18: In what can be termed a major faux pas on the part of
the administration, the University of Karachi is considering the withdrawal of
the final MS/PhD merit admission list because shortly after the list was issued
on Monday a lot of hue and cry was raised against it. |
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Though there has
been no official announcement yet, a senior teacher and member of the deans
committee said that the "corrected version" based upon the criteria earlier
announced and stated in the admission brochures would be issued soon. Also, the
administration is facing criticism for allowing the HEJ institute applicants,
most of whom failed in the pre-entry test, to take another National Testing
Service (NTS) test.
According to the list, 700 candidates for MS
programme and 90 for PhD programme have been declared qualified. Only 722
candidates, however, had passed the NTS test.
The episode has occurred in
the backdrop of NTS fiasco last month. About 60 per cent of the total 1,770
candidates, who appeared in the university's first ever pre-entry tests for
MS/PhD candidates, failed to pass the exam.
Fearing low enrolment in many
departments, the deans committee decided to change the merit formula and issued
a candidates' list. As a result, the names of many students who have passed the
pre-entry test couldn't be included in the final list and the administration was
forced to consider withdrawal of the list.
One such student reported that she had been ignored in the final merit list for MS candidates though
she secured over 50 per cent marks in the NTS test and was a
position-holder.
"I was shocked to see that my name is not on the list
while the names of my friends, some of whom got low grades or have performed
poorly in the test, have their names in the list," she said, adding that the
university administration had asked her to file a written complain.
It is
also worth-noting that the deans committee's decision of acquiring the services
of a private organisation to conduct the admission tests met with a lot of
criticism from teachers, who also questioned the rationale behind holding
admission tests, as a majority of applicants for MS/PhD programmes are usually
awarded degrees by the KU itself.
Prof Shahana Urooj, a
member of the deans committee that took the decision to hold NTS tests, said: "A
wrong list has been released. The correct list based on the merit formula
mentioned in the admission books would be issued soon."
Elaborating the
reasons for changing the merit formula, she said: "Earlier, it was decided that
the candidates achieving 50 per cent marks in the NTS test would be considered
eligible for admission. However, the poor performance of candidates in the NTS
tests forced the administration to adopt another formula to increase enrolment.
According to the new criteria, NTS performance and previous academic degree were
to be given 40 per cent and 60 per cent weightage, respectively.
"This
created a lot of confusion and we received many complaints. We should have stuck
to the old formula. Now, we have decided to give first chance to those students
who meet the old merit formula and then will examine other cases to fill more
seats."
When asked why the university has given the HEJ institute
applicants another chance for pre-entry test, she said: "Their question paper
was not subject-specific and, as a result, most students failed. The NTS has
admitted the mistake and now the HEJ would prepare the question paper for the
candidates."
Regarding criticism of NTS, she said the organisation had
been taking exams for many years and was recognized by the Higher Education
Commission (HEC). "The university was not prepared for the pre-entry test
programme and we had to engage the services of NTS. But now, the university
administration plans to set up its own independent testing system that could
also offer its services to other educational institutions in
future."
Commenting on the development, Dr Abid Husnain, vice-president
of the Karachi University Teachers Society (KUTS), said that the deans committee
that took the decision of holding pre-entry tests under NTS was no statutory
body of the university and had no authority whatsoever to take decisions on
students' eligibility.
"Only the Board of Advance Studies and Research
(BASR) that represents the deans of different faculties as well as teachers has
the authority to take such decisions. The board in a meeting did allow holding
of admission tests but there was no mention of the NTS. The entire
conceptualisation process of inducting NTS in the university system was wrong,"
he said. According to Dr Husnain, many rejected students were contemplating
filing suits against the university.
A lot of mismanagement was witnessed
on the pre-entry test day held last month for candidates aspiring for KU's MS
and PhD programmes. About 300 to 400 ineligible candidates turned up for the
test while many students lost their fees, which was non-refundable. Dawn
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Karachi University announced MBBS, BDS exams schedule
MBBS exam schedule
Karachi: The examinations department, University of Karachi, has announced the schedule for the 2009
examination of first professional MBBS (part-A).
According to the
schedule, first paper of anatomy will be held on Tuesday, Nov 25; physiology on
Saturday, Nov 29; biochemistry on Monday, Dec 1; and Islamic Studies/Pakistan
Studies on Wednesday, Dec 3 at Defence Authority Degree College for Women,
phase-VII.
First professional BDS exams
The examinations
department of Karachi University has announced the schedule of first
professional BDS annual examinations 2009.
First paper of anatomy will be
held on Monday, Nov 24; physiology on Friday, Nov 28; chemistry of dental
materials on Tuesday, Dec 2; biochemistry on Thursday, Dec 4; and
Islamiat/Pakistan Studies on Saturday, Dec 6 at Defence Authority Degree College
of Business.
Your Comments
"wat abt da MBBS PART 2 2009 papers wats da schedule of tht they are after eid but tell me probably on which date plzzz."
Name: faiza
Email: faiza_medical2@yahoo.com
City, Country: karachi,pakistan
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DCET to get status of engineering university
Karachi: The minister of state for education, Ghulam Farid
Kathia, said on Monday that Dawood College of Engineering and Technology (DCET)
Karachi, a federal degree-awarding institution, would soon be converted into a
federal engineering university.
He said this during a briefing given by
DCET Principal Prof (Dr) Mohammad Nasim and officials of the Federal Urdu
University of Arts, Science and Technology, Federal Urdu Dictionary Board and
Sindh Madressah-tul-Islam at the college's conference room.
The minister
said he would take steps to give varsity status to DCET as it was one of the
important educational institutions of the country.
The officials of
different educational institutions informed the minister about the performance
of their institutions and problems faced by them.
The minister expressed
satisfaction over their performance and directed them to do more work to improve
the standard of education.
The minister also visited laboratory, computer
section and other departments of the college.
Prof (Dr) Mohammad Nasim
said that he had been making efforts to make the college one of the reputable
engineering institutions of the country.
He said that the state minister
for education had assured him of making the institution a federal university and
fully supporting it. Ppi
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Karachi University to hold 10-day global workshop
Karachi: A 10-day International Workshop on Systemic Approach to Teaching
and Learning Chemistry (SATLC) is being held from November 19 to 29, 2008 at the
International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), Karachi
University (KU).
The inaugural ceremony of the workshop will be held on
Wednesday at 10.00 am at Latif Ebrahim Jamal Science Information Centre, KU.
Vice Chancellor, KU, Prof. Dr Pirzada Qasim will inaugurate the event. Director
ICCBS Dr Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, principal organiser of the event, national
professor Prof. Dr Iftikhar Imam Naqvi and co-principal organizer, Dr Amin
Farooq Fahimi of Egypt will also express their ideas at the occasion. The
workshop will include lecture sessions, poster presentations, scientific
sessions and daily home work.
Over 70 teachers from all over the country
are expected to participate in this workshop, in which the experts from United
States, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Egypt and Pakistan will train the participants.
According to a press release issued by the ICCBS, KU, on Monday, the main
objective of the workshop is to introduce SATLC in the country and create
indigenous manpower in the country.
Other objectives are to draw the
attention of participants to the use of systemic as a vehicle to improve both
teaching and learning, and to improve the participants' skills towards systemic
building strategies of chemistry modules. The workshop is being jointly
organised by ICCBS, Higher Education Commission (HEC) and National Core Group in
Chemistry (NCGC).
The SATLC is designed to motivate the students to
understand the interrelations of chemistry concepts in a greater context, a
point of view that ultimately should prove beneficial to the future citizens in
a world that is becoming increasingly globalised. It helps students develop
their mental skills involving the higher-order cognitive processes. The News
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Education News| Updated: 09 Jan, 2009 |
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