Admission test should stay
Photo: STAR
The last minute decision of not taking admission test for medical and dental admission this year is impractical and shocking. There are some serious issues to be addressed in this regard. Firstly, this decision must have come at least four years earlier before implementation. Since GPA of both SSC and HSC will be counted, a student has to take preparation from class IX till class XII. Secondly, and most importantly, can board exams like SSC and HSC be considered a standard way of selecting eligible candidates for medical and varsity admission? I must say, it can not be. It is quite clear from the recent record-breaking results of both SSC and HSC that teachers are encouraged, or should I say forced, by the government to give easy marks. Board exam and admission tests are two very different exams in terms of standard. The standard of board questions and assessment of answer sheets are highly liberal. It can in no way come closer to the standard of admission tests in terms of differentiating between the students who studied books thoroughly and who studied based on 'suggestions'. I am not saying admission tests are flawless, but it's way better system for the selection of eligible candidates than board exams. Yes, coaching business is a problem. Why this practice developed and what the solution is -- that is another issue that requires realistic analysis. If the combined GPA of SSC and HSC has to be the method of selecting the candidates, then there has to be a massive reform in the entire system also. Especially, the standard of board questions and the assessment of answer sheets have to be 'critical,' not 'politically popular'. And the ever-lasting problem of Bangladesh -- lack of transparency and accountability -- is a major concern. Nobody, either the students or the parents, have any clear idea about the smallest details of the selection process based on GPA. So the chances of corruption and partiality are always there, since a number of students with identical grade points are going to compete against every single seat. We believe the government will address this issue with proper importance and take the right decision.
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