LAHORE, Aug 22: The top position holders in the BA/BSc annual examination have unanimously demanded that the government should abolish the entrance test for admission to postgraduate classes, expressing confidence in the university examinations and results.

It was a strange fact, they said, that the Punjab University too was holding entrance test for admission to its postgraduate classes even for those students who had qualified their degree examination from this university.

Speaking to Dawn, top position holder in BSc Madiha Manzoor said the entrance test should be abolished and the university’s annual examination considered credible enough for admission to postgraduate classes.

The government, she said, should introduce semester system instead of annual examination system to keep students busy in studies throughout the session. She also suggested that the percentage of objective-type questions should be increased in papers.

Madiha said besides regular studies in college, she also got coaching at a tuition academy to earn the top position in the examination. As she had double maths and statistics as elective subjects, she said, she would do MSc in mathematics and then serve as a lecturer.

Nosheen Goshi, who bagged second position, said the students having clear concepts and doing regular studies could ensure excellence in examination. She also called for shifting of the annual examination system to the semester system.

Stating that she had done her BSc with double maths and statistics, Nosheen intends doing her master’s in mathematics.

Muhammad Ahmad, another position holder, said the government must abolish the entrance test as it was an unnecessary burden on students. He called for updating the curricula by adding new theories and concepts being generated at the international level. He also stressed the need to establish well-equipped laboratories and research facilities.

Having done his BSc with double maths and physics, Ahmad wishes to go for a master’s in telecommunication.

Asima Tabassum, who topped in the BA, also wants abolition of the entrance test though, she said, she had appeared in the National Testing Service’s test held on Aug 19. She said she had studied in a routine manner and never got tuition.

Asima bagged “the coveted position” with Islamic Studies, Arabic and Persian. She wants to do her master’s in Islamic Studies.

Rabeel Shaukat, who had the same subjects, said he had opted for appearing in the BA examination as a private candidate as he could not afford fees at the Government Islamia College, Civil Lines, where he got admission.