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Testing times for QAU admission seekers
ISLAMABAD, Aug 29: Absence of uniformity in the policy of the
Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) for admission to its various departments is
creating problems for applicants which otherwise could be avoided.
While
half of its departments are offering admission straightaway on the basis of a
merit list, the others have introduced a screening test. Those who fail it are
dumped and a merit list is prepared of those who pass it.
But
interestingly the test does not factor in the merit which is worked out on the
basis of the applicant's academic results since high school.
Questioned
about the incongruity, the president of the Academic Staff Association of QAU,
Dr Zulfiqar Ahmad, agreed that the university should have had one admission
policy.
"But unfortunately because of differences among the heads of
departments who discussed the subject, it was decided to leave it to the choice
of every department. If a department wants to hold screening test, it can," he
said.
Dr Ahmad, who heads the Earth Sciences department of QAU, decided
against the test as he thought admissions could be manipulated through such
tests. "People approach all kinds of sources to ensure the admission of their
children," he said.
Rated as the best university in the public sector,
QAU is considered top choice of students for post-graduate studies.
Since
admission in the QAU is offered on provincial and regional quota basis, students
all over the country converge on QAU.
Currently the QAU is accepting
applications for admission in MA, MSc and M Phil classes. August 30 is the last
date for submitting admission forms and screening or aptitude test would be held
on September 3 and 4.
Though the QAU faculty is divided on the present
admission policy, everyone is for adopting a standardized admission formula for
all departments.
Departments of Physics, Electronics, MBA and MPA have
introduced the screening test for this academic year while the Chemistry,
Biological Sciences, Anthropology, International Relations and Economics
departments have not and are admitting students straightaway on the basis of a
merit list.
Teachers who support the screening test argue that it helps
assess the applicants coming to QAU from other universities which have different
criteria for awarding marks.
Their colleagues on the other side contend
that if there has to be a test, it should be for the whole university and be
given some weightage in the preparation of the final merit list. Also the test
be scheduled in a way that applicants coming from far flung areas could manage
it.
For instance an applicant, say from Baluchistan, has to stay in
Islamabad first to take the test and then wait for its result and the merit
list.
So far the applicants could mail their applications and if they
qualified for admission the university informed them and they could come and
join the university. Dawn
Your Comments
"university should not depend on only marks sheet of the students"
Name: muhammed yaseen
Email: yaseenkhan89@yahoo.com
City, Country: distt buner, Pakistan
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