August 29, 2007	Wednesday	Sha’aban 15, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Aug 28: 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.