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PhD testing policy annoys students |
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Monday, 08 February 2010 |
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Students of higher learning have expressed their annoyance over the GRE subject policy of Higher Education Commission (HEC) that classifies them in two different categories without any solid reason.
The data provided by the students state that HEC allows students of some disciplines to take the local NTS test for admission to PhD while making it mandatory for some others to take the international GRE test.
The 12 disciplines that allow the local NTS test include Agriculture Sciences, Botany, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Economics, Education, Electronics, Islamic Studies, Library Sciences, Management Sciences, Computer & Telecom Engineering, and Urdu, while the students of eight disciplines of Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, English Literature, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology are required to take the international GRE test.
The substantial difference in the fee structure of the two exams is also another main concern for the students, as the fee for the local GRE test is Rs1,000 while it amounts to Rs13,500 for the international GRE test to take admission in their respective disciplines.
The students raised the question that since there is no requirement for such a test even in the universities in Europe, is HEC trying to go beyond the standard of European universities in their effort to maintain quality education?
In their written statement, the students asked that if there is an obligation on PhD students to take the GRE test, then what is the need of the Comprehensive Test after the completion of the PhD coursework and the subjective (GRE) admission test by the universities?
“We use the country’s resources to complete our theses but now we have to go through the transfer of our credit hours to some foreign university to easily get degree, all due to HEC’s wrong policies,” they said.
In their written suggestion provided to this correspondent, the students emphasised the need for uniform criteria, urging that all students should either be required to take the local NTS or the international GRE subject test.
Executive Director HEC Dr Sohail Naqvi told ‘The News’ that two sets of criterion for GRE test were formed in 2005 with an aim to serve the best interests of the students, who want to excel in their respective disciplines. He said there is an open opportunity for those who succeed in their international GRE test, as in that case, the whole fee is paid by the HEC and it does not cost the successful students even a single rupee, adding that if anyone is talented and brilliant, he should not worry about the expenses of the international GRE test
“The international GRE test is required only in those subjects where students must have a strong basic knowledge, otherwise, they face a number of problems while studying at higher learning institutes,” he said and added, “The students must acknowledge that the international GRE test was introduced to favour them, as it can enable them in having a strong basic knowledge in their subject of interest,” |
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