Karachi University has maintained its decision to grant admissions to students on the basis of tests in its 20 important division under the concern of the deteriorating educational standards at the intermediate and graduate level. National Testing Service conducted the tests for the graduate level programs, while M.Phil and Ph.D level students were tested by the Karachi University itself this time also. It was decided in a conference presided by Dr Qaiser, that Urdu will be brought back as a subject in B.Com studies. Urdu was removed from the course of B.Com in 2004 during the era of Dr Peerzada Qasim.
The decision about considering third grade students in the admissions is still pending and has been postponed till the next meeting. Students appearing in the NTS exams will have to achieve 50% marks, while applicants for the Pharm D program will also need to bring 50% marks. Earlier, the Pharm.D students were required to gain 60% marks, but unfortunately even A and A-1 grade students were unable to gain 60% marks, which had left a lot of seats empty. Hence Karachi University had to bring down the passing line to 50%. These test marks will only be considered as passing marks to deem a student eligible for admission. They will not be included in the final weightage for the admissions.
The declining educational standards in Sindh are alarming. According to NED University, this year A, A-1 and B grade students failed to achieve 50% passing marks in their entrance tests, among which 10 were position holders. While the percentage of A-Level students passing the exams were about 97%. Agha Khan Board was in second position with 89% and Karachi inter-board and federal board were in the third position with 62%.
Students appearing from the hometown of Benazir Bhutto, Hyderabad, Larkana, MirpurKhas and Sukkur were not able to perform satisfactorily at all. The educational standards of students is not only alarming at the inter and graduate level, but effects of the declining educational system are also evident at the university level, as these students are unable to progress in their studies and hence perform satisfactorily at the professional level as well.