I RECENTLY sat the Higher Education Aptitude Test (HAT). As a member of several online forums where candidates share their experiences, I can say that the concerns I wish to voice are widely shared. At the outset, credit must be given where it is due. The HAT fee is nominal compared to international tests, such as the GRE and IELTS, and arrangements at the test centre were generally satisfactory.
There is, however, considerable room for improvement in three areas. The candidates are almost unanimous that the paper cannot be completed in the allotted two hours. HAT allows 120 minutes for 100 questions, or about 72 seconds per question.
The GRE, by comparison, allows 88 minutes for its 54 verbal and quantitative questions, or about 98 seconds for each, and it no longer has an analytical reasoning section at all. HAT candidates, on the other hand, get roughly a quarter less time per question, even though analytical puzzles are among the most time-consuming items in any aptitude test.
An estimated 60 per cent of the paper requires calculations or diagrams, but only two small pages at the end of the relevant booklet are provided for the purpose. Under severe time pressure, this is a real handicap. Candidates should be allowed to do their rough work on the question booklet itself. If this requires a modest increase in the fee, most candidates would willingly bear it. The candidates have reported answer choices that were in-
accurate, and analytical questions that either lacked sufficient information or offered no correct option. For candidates who prepare for months, such errors are deeply frustrating and erode confidence in the test. A rigorous review of each paper before it is used, and a mechanism for challenging doubtful questions after the test, would go a long way in restoring trust.
These concerns matter beyond the examination hall. With nearly two-thirds of Pakistan’s population under the age of 30, and opportunities for young people increasingly scarce, a test that serves as a gateway to higher education must be seen to be fair, accurate and trust-worthy. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) should review all suggestions to make things easier and fair for the candidates.
Muhammad Shahid Rafique
Lahore
Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2026
