Major changes likely in BA/BSc, MA/MSc exams

By Khalid Khattak

Major structural changes in the Punjab University’s BA/BSc and MA/MSc examinations are in the offing and are likely to be applied to those candidates who will appear in these exams from varsity’s affiliated colleges or privately from this year.These changes include reorganisation of aggregate system of marking, allowing those candidates of BA/BSc for supplementary exam who fail in two papers and introduction of supplementary exam at MA/MSc level.It is important to mention here that students and teachers have been criticising the PU administration for introducing 45 per cent of aggregate at MA/MSc level a couple of years ago. Under this system, 40 per cent is pass marks of each paper while a candidate has to make 45 per cent total aggregate to pass the exams, which means if a candidate even gets 40 or 41 marks in each of the five papers of MA/MSc, he/she is considered fail.This aggregate system was introduced in 2005 during tenure of VC Lt Gen (Retd) Arshad Mehmood but despite strong resentment from students and teachers, the PU administration could not change it and students continued to suffer. Similarly, students and teachers have been expressing concerns regarding non-availability of an important option for private candidates and those of affiliated colleges of the Punjab University i.e. supplementary exams at MA/MSc level. At present, if a candidate fails in any one subject of MA/MSc exams, he/she has to wait for almost a year to sit in the annual exam, as PU does not offer supplementary exams at this level. Undoubtedly, this has been delaying the youth to start their professional careers, while its worst impact on female students, keeping in view prevailing social norms, could not be ignored. The third major structural change on the cards is allowing all those candidates of BA/BSc exams to sit in supplementary exams who would fail in two subjects. At present, a candidate who fails in only one subject in BA/BSc annual exams is eligible to appear in supplementary exam while all those failing in more than one subject have to appear in annual exam. A senior PU official said keeping in view growing concern of the students and their parents, the university administration was seriously mulling over to bring reforms in the examination system. He said PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran had held several meetings with the Controller of Examinations Zahid Kareem in this connection recently. He further said the supplementary exams at MA/MSc level would also help the university to generate revenue, adding it was too important since universities were facing severe cuts in grants from the government.A consensus has been developed to bring revolutionary changes in the examination system so that candidates might be facilitated to the maximum extent and they might not suffer because of the system, he added.Zahid Kareem talking to The News said there had been deliberations on several important and possible changes in exams at BA/BSc and MA/MSc level. He said issues like aggregate system and supplementary exams would soon be placed before the academic council for final approval.

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Source: The News International

Monday, February 02, 2009

MA English result exposes colleges’ performance

By Khalid Khattak

LAHORE: The recently declared result of MA English Annual Examination 2008 has exposed disappointing performance of public sector colleges as a small number of students from these institutions could pass the exam.A study of result revealed that in most of the colleges those passed the exams were late college students (LCSts), which means they had repeated the exam otherwise, pass percentage overall as well as of individual colleges would have dropped further.According to result gazette issued by the Punjab University (PU), a total of 110 students had appeared in the MA English Part-I exam from Government MAO College while only 16 could pass out of which five were fresh candidates and 11 LCSts.From the Govt Queen Marry College 18 students had appeared in the said exam but only one of them could pass it. A total of 33 students appeared in the exam from the Government College, Township, and only eight could pass out of which only two were fresh candidates while six were LCSts.Thirty eight students appeared in the exam from the Govt Islamia College, Railway Road, while only eight could pass the exam out of which four were LCSts and four were fresh. As many as 16 candidates appeared from Govt Islamia, College Civil Lines, while only four could pass the exam out of which three were fresh candidates.The Govt Fatima Jinnah College for Women, Chuna Mandi, however, produced a comparatively better result as 48 candidates appeared in the exam from this college and 28 were declared passed out of which 19 were fresh candidates while nine were LCSts.A comparison of the government colleges of the provincial metropolis and other institutions of the province as well as those of private colleges also highlights that the overall result is not so encouraging in MA English this year. Only 15.6 percent of the candidates could pass the MA English Part-I Exam while in Part-II the pass percentage remained 37.09. According to PU Additional Controller of Examinations Malik Zahir, a total of 8,800 candidates appeared in the Part-I exam out of which only 1,373 could pass the exam. A total of 3,157 candidates appeared in Part-II exam out of which 1,171 were declared successful, he added.Talking to The News a number of students criticised the PU for introducing the changed aggregate system of marking a couple of years back. They said the overall pass percentage had sharply been declining ever since the university had introduced 50 percent aggregate a must to pass the exam.A student, Awais, said the aggregate system was quite harsh for students of colleges unlike for students of universities. Explaining his point, he said students of government colleges who appeared in the MA English exams conducted by the Punjab University (PU) had to sit in the annual exam unlike university students who appeared under semester system at their respective universities.“It is really difficult for college students to achieve this score under the annual system of exams”, he added.Another student said it was quite ironic that the government could not ensure uniformity in the exam system. “Students of colleges are at clear disadvantage”, he said adding, “They (college students) don’t get marks for attendance and assignments as awarded to students under semester system at he universities.”A lecturer, seeking anonymity, said a number of factors were responsible for poor results especially in the MA English exams. He was of the view that “Education being imparted at government institutions right from primary level does not prepare students to be creative and imaginative rather it encourages rote-learning among the students.”He further said since subjects like English literature required creative and analytical approach by the students, all those lacking this had to face trouble while attempting the exam. There are other issues too like shortage of teachers and lack of facilities at government colleges, he added. He, however, also urged the government to ensure a uniform examination system. He said the prevailing disparity was certainly a matter of great concern as colleges and universities were producing different kinds of students despite the fact they were pursuing similar degree. He was of the view that the PU should introduce supplementary exams for MA programmes as a candidate had to wait for almost a year for annual exams each time even if he/she had failed in a single subject.

Source: The News International
Tuesday, January 27, 2009