Through this esteemed newspaper I would like to draw the attention of the higher education authorities towards the lacunae present in the existing examination system.
A severe dissatisfaction was observed in the MA Economics (Final) result announced by the Federal Urdu University's Economics Department Karachi, this month. A disappointing and unexpected result indeed.
It is worthwhile to mention here that students of the economics department worked very hard for getting maximum marks in the exams and they were very confident about their result. However, the result did not meet the hopes of the students due to reasons. The reason may include negligence on the part of the copy checkers, irresponsibility, lack of strictness, absence of a system of check and balance personal grievances, nepotism and mal-administration.
This letter I would request the concerned authorities to take proper steps, including the following, so that students may not suffer any more:
i. Examination procedure may be made fair and strict. Impartiality in checking copies should be ensured. Copies must be checked at least twice so that any inadvertence/oversight may be detected and rectified accordingly.
ii. Proper a system of check and balance on all the professors/lecturers, whether they are delivering their lectures and fulfilling their responsibility or not.
iii. All those persons playing with the future of innocent students present in the faculty of the University must be penalised and dismissed forthwith. Here I mean to pin point those professors, who due to their personal grievances discriminate against deserving students deliberately.
iv. A preliminary exam policy should be devised. Objective questions should cover the major portion of the question paper. Exams should comprise of written as well as verbal (viva) questions so that the genuineness of the students be realised.
I would also like to give following further suggestions with regard to this newly born University and draw the attention of the higher authorities as well as Jameeluddin Aali, one of the founders of this university:
i. Syllabus of Masters must be revised and made in consonance with modern standards.
ii. Result must be issued at least after one and a half month of the examination.
iii. Supplementary exams are taken along with the annual exams, hence students who could not clear their paper have to wait a year. Therefore, this issue must be taken into consideration and a short-time supplementary exam policy should be devised.
iv. Arrangement of a proper seminar library/discussion hall and availability of a comprehensive stock of books/periodicals be made possible.
v. Facility of canteen, stationery shop, and play ground be provided.
vi. Harmony among the students' political parties must be created and for any anticipated violence/clash, proper steps should be taken and rangers be deployed. It is pertinent to mention here that at the time of admission an affidavit is signed by the students on a bond paper wherein it is undertaken that they will no get indulged in any type of political activity and any defiance thereof would tantamount to legal action against them. But all this is confined to documents only. It is, therefore, suggested that this oath be implemented in its letter and spirit in order to keep the atmosphere of the university peaceful.