There is very strange phenomenon going on in education system.
And this is harming talent and future of students. The entire world is at loss.
This is about how to give admission to students in universities.
At present this is based on:
1. Score in Aptitude Test
2. Grades in High School
3. Recommendation letters
4. Essay about your self and why you wish to join this stream this university etc
5. Extra Curricular Activities
Of these the first one Aptitude Test can be seen as objective indicator of aptitude. Though no test can be so perfect to judge potential of a human brain.
Now see the others.
Grades in High School - So if some student for any reason could not do well then that will have negative impact on his or her future. Students are made to select streams and their life is often locked into these streams.
Recommendation Letters - These are very subjective. No person has right or ability to judge another person and tell good or bad points. These can be influenced and even bought.
Essay - No everyone may be very good in expressing self. That does not mean he or she is anything less in potential to study a subject. These can be influenced by parents, teachers and others.
Extra Curricular Activities - What link this has to students potential to study a subject. If someone is not interested in music dance sports or voluntary service and wish to focus on one studies then how he or she becomes less eligible or be put at disadvantage as compared to those who are taking part in such activities. These activities are a matter of choice and should not influence a persons ability or opportunity to excel in a subject.
So what could be the procedure for admission.
1. Till age 15 years every student must get basic education in all subjects. Extra curricular activities in schools must be optional. School time on studies and extra curricular activities must not overlap.
2. Age 15 - 17 students allowed to select stream of choice. It should not be fixed. They should be allowed to change. And this selection of stream should not be restricted to have fixed number of students in a stream. If in a school all students wish to study science, let them. During second half of this period, age 16 - 17 students should list subjects of their choice and start getting some basic information about these subjects.
3. After passing school at the age of 17 students have choice of taking Aptitude Test at any point and allowed two - three times a year. In addition there must be Subject Aptitude Test to see students latent aptitude in a subject.
4. Universities can then give admission based on these Aptitude Test. In case of tie, group of students can decide on the basis of Subject Aptitude Test for final selection. For example University A has 100 seats in Subject X and 250 students have applied then Subject Aptitude Test can help in deciding.
5. In fact Subject Aptitude Test should hold more weight in who should study what. Every student must be allowed to take Global Test on any subject. Those with high score in Subject Aptitude Test should get admission to study further.
6. Make free use of technology. Open schooling, distance education, eclasses should be promoted. Universities should rely more on objective testing before awarding degree and should not differentiate between degrees of students who took classes in person or eclasses.
This system will help in:
- Reducing subjective bias in admission.
- Not letting any irrelevant factor affecting students future life.
- Not letting less performance at one stage blocking future chances of doing good.
- Avoiding making career mistakes.
- Not letting talents go waste stuck in wrong lines.
- Eliminating stress of admission
Let talents explore itself. World will have better light.
