Parents and students have appealed to the government to ban different types of aptitude tests for admissions in universities.
They say that they are being looted in the name of the Law Admission Test (LAT), Graduation Admission Test (GAT), National Testing Service (NTS), and newly-introduced Undergraduate Studies Aptitude Test (USAT).
Parents have demanded the government either discontinue this practice completely or make it affordable, if not free, for poor students.
“It becomes quite difficult for poor parents to pay a fee for all tests, which ranges from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 2,000. Thousands of students fail to clear these tests in the first attempt, so poor parents have to pay fees, again and again, to get admission in public and private universities to secure a future for their sons and daughters in this regard,” a parent told The News.
“If the government really wants to boost the present education system through these baseless tests, then it should conduct these tests free of cost,” another parent demanded.
According to official statistics, over 50,000 students appeared in the recent LAT for admission in law colleges and universities across the country.
Of them, a little less than 20,000 passed the test. A large number of the students who failed were making their second attempt, while some were attempting for the third time as well.
Even those who get admissions and complete their degree will have to undergo another aptitude test, GAT, to get their law degree.
“It has become a never-ending process and a source of revenue for universities and HEC, who continue looting poor students and parents in the name of aptitude tests,” said a frustrated student.
Meanwhile, Vice-Chairman Punjab Bar Council (PBC), Farhan Shahzad, condemned such kinds of ‘aptitude tests’ in the country. He said he would raise the matter during Monday’s (today) meeting of the Punjab Bar Council (PBC).
I will raise this issue to end aptitude tests to get admissions in public and private universities because it is a financial burden for poor parents.
He said that almost all public and private universities in the country conduct their own aptitude test. Therefore, they do not need to follow other testing services in the country.
Registrar Punjab University, Dr. Khalid Khan, was also against putting an extra burden on students. He said the matter was also discussed in every academic council meeting, and the university does not approve of it.
“The students and parents are tense due to such kinds of baseless tests like LAT, GAT, NTS, and now HEC has introduced another test in the name of Undergraduate Studies Aptitude Test (USAT),” he added.
yes true