Cultus
In Pakistan, a student has to clear the medical entrance exam before stepping into the medical colleges. Pakistan has many deficiencies in its education system and medical entrance exam is one of it. These entrance exams are not handled properly by the students and are worsening the condition of the education system.
The Medical University Entry tests play a vital role in a student’s life. Many students have a dream to become a future doctor but many of them are unable to fulfil this dream. These tests affect students in several different ways.
Effect of entrance exam on student’s career
Every student takes this test with the thought to clear it. But many of them have to change their path after the results. Almost 60,000 students appear every year and nearly 3,300 students manage to get admission in medical colleges. A few of them go for the private medical college tests and the remaining students get no other option except to change their career path.
It becomes very difficult for them to leave their dream behind and most of them become depressed and frustrated in their entire life, although they adopt some other profession. It is not fair with their lives and also with the profession they have chosen because of the lack of interest.
During preparation, student suffers from different physical and mental health issues. The student fears that if he won’t be able to clear the test with flying colours then he will not get admission in any government medical college. This thought continuously imposes the pressure on a student just like a hammer does with a nail.
Students always suffer from the anxiety of not letting down their families. Therefore, students take this test on their nerves and destroy their mental and physical health brutally. Some cases are reported that students have attempted suicide because of the medical entrance exam failure. This is an alarming situation for the education department and the government.
After effects of medical entrance exam haunt students a lot
Students who could not qualify the test suffer a lot due to the consequences they have to face afterwards. There are numerous examples of students who decide to go for an entrance exam every year after they failed the first attempt. Some of the students are even repeating after three years.
Students have a continuous family pressure to choose something for their career besides medical. They go for the profession in which they have no interest. The failure of entrance exam forces them to give up their dream of the medical field. The medical entrance exam is playing with the dreams of many students which should be the point of concern for the education department.
Why do students think that the academy is necessary?
Students who want to become a doctor have to prepare for medical entrance tests, no matter how well they have performed in their intermediate exams. The criteria and method of these tests are totally different from intermediate exams. Students have to shift their preparation strategy within a few days. Therefore, they think the academy is the only solution to their problems.
Academies are becoming a mafia
Daily Times reported that ‘’Parents Awareness Society (PAS) has filed a petition before the Lahore High Court against the rising influence of black-listed academies mafia. PAS, a society formed by concerned parents for safeguarding students’ interests filed this petition before the Lahore High Court against the foul Entry Test practices committed and continued by STAR and KIPS academies.’’
In the name of medical entrance exam preparation, academies have become mafia. Students suffer a lot because of this cruel mafia schemes.
Looting money
Academies are robbing money with both hands from the pockets of students for the sake of preparation. Students are giving them money and are chasing their fixed path like robots. Plenty of students are paying these mafia industry thousands for their bogus system. Every other month their fee increases with zero other services.
Academies don’t bother if a student can’t afford the academy and they offer almost no scholarship to the needy students. They have made the education, a business.
Playing with student’s career and life
Academy system has many flaws but this industry doesn’t address these instead increase them with every passing year. They just care about the money rather the careers of the innocent students they teach. They promise all students 100% results but the reality is quite opposite. When students fail the test they leave them heartlessly and ask them to come next year again with more money.
Recent incidents reported by the parents have cleared the fact that academies have nothing to do with the career of a student. All they worry about is money.
Students of far-flung areas suffer a lot because of academy mafia
Living in a small town or a village cause many troubles to the students when it comes to medical entry test preparation. This test preparation pushes them to leave their city and spend money with both hands without the guarantee of pleasant results.
Students from remote areas have to deal with other problems like leaving the city. They need to care about following necessities:
- Accommodation
- Travelling
- Money- to spend daily on different places such as travelling, food, notes etc.
- Good fellows
For academy mafia, Quantity is more vital than Quality
Quality matters over quantity. But academies follow the reverse rule. All of their classes are saturated with the students. Only those students who manage to win the fight over the first few rows would able to understand the lectures. Other students come and sit only. Due to the large strength, many students don’t know what’s going on in the classroom. This issue is reported by the students and parents every year. But no academy pays any heed to this issue.
They give pre, post, test and many other sessions with poor quality. Students after paying a huge amount and fulfilling every demand of the academy, still do not get what they deserve.
Causing inferiority complex
As academics do not pay equal attention to every student, consequently, students suffer from inferiority complex. They are surrounded by the thought that they are not intelligent enough to be treated equally. Favouritism by teachers in class is another reason for students to feel inferior. Therefore, students lose their self-confidence which in result leave students with a sense of inferiority.
Online education is the best alternative
Pakistan has done visible progress in the digital literacy over a few years. Online entry test preparation is the alternative and the only solution against the academy mafia. Online education has served the purpose not only for the students who go to the academy but also who cannot afford the academy fees.
How online education can be the alternative?
Online education has many benefits over academy education. The increase of stress among students and parents has clearly sent the message that they are not satisfied with the academy system. Online medical entrance exam preparation provides a student with following benefits
- Digital education which is accessible to everyone.
- A very low fee as compared to the academy.
- No need to travel even a single mile.
- No overloaded classrooms.
- No anxiety/stress.
Conclusion
By the above discussion, it is evident that many students fell prey of this academy mafia. They are looting students consistently. But now many students are shifting from conventional ways to digital ways. Digital education is enhancing their efficiency by minimizing their stress. This is the best way to get rid of Academy mafia and acquire quality education. That’s a given.
Author: Weilliam Johansen