Denial is not new for me. I’ve been denied lots of times in my life. But this I was not expecting. Ok, let me make it clear. I have a MSc Applied Linguistics degree with a CGPA of 3.72, earned from Government College University Faisalabad in 2010. I have 1st division throughout my academic career. I was actually number one in my class. And now in 2011, I had applied for M Phil Applied Linguistics in same department, same university. But everything was not same. The head Dr. Shehbaz Arif has been appointed newly. So when new administration comes, new ways and methods also come. Another reason for the changes (I’ll explain in next sentence) was the new VC. Well, the changes were made in merit calculation criteria. It was decided as Academic (80) + Interview(15) + Publications (5). I was very much hopeful that I would secure the position in 1st merit list. I got my interview quite fine, it was not very good not very bad in my opinion. I spend 1 month hanging and waiting for the merit lists. When they showed up finally on 31 October, 2011, I was shocked to see that my name wasn’t there. I was panicked, tensed. I ran to university and there I’d been told that my interview was not good enough to earn me a place at merit list. You see the criteria above mentioned? It says interview is a very small part 15 marks only, rest is the academic record (MA and BA). This policy is followed by all 21 debarments of the university. You can go to gcuf.edu.pk, and under Admissions > M Phil 1st Merit List you can see merit lists of each and every department, and how they have calculated merit score. But this is not the case with Applied Linguistics and English departments. Both are under Mr. Shehbaz Arif and he preferred to “devise” his own policy. He decided to include 20 marks of interview (10 qualifying) and marks obtained in GAT (Graduate Assessment Test, a GRE type proficiency test used in Pakistan) and minimal qualifying for GAT were 50. The note under the says that “MERIT LIST IS BASED ON RESEARCH INTERVIEW AND GAT QUALIFING MARKS.”. But the truth is that only interview marks are considered. Because the maximum marks given are 16. I had got 74 marks in GAT and I could secure position in 1st merit list but as GAT is not considered even after writing an explicit note under the merit list notice, I could not secure it. So I am out here. People ask me in the university what’s going on and I feel myself ashamed. I tried to give an application to VC yesterday, today I came to know it “vanished”. I provided them another handwritten copy of it. I went to Registrar he told me to come on Friday. I am not very hopeful, because they’ll create a rule which will disqualify me. But I am not going to make it easy for them. I am going to court if need be. Let me summarize the points I mentioned above.
The Department of Applied Linguistics didn’t follow the Admission policy and thus being unjust according to following points.
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The admission criterion states that merit be calculated this way Academic (80) + Interview(15) + Publications (5). But Applied Linguistics only considered interviews. This is total favouritism, it is done to deny deserving students like me.
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There are at least three students on merit list which have 2nd division Ghulam Dastgir, Zia-ur-Rehman and Bahadur Ali, and who knows how many more. While deserving like me sitting outside these inferior candidates have secured their seats.
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The “criterion” followed by Applied Linguistics states that “Research Interview Plus GAT” marks are included. If this was the way, I could get admission easily. Because GAT is not considered at all.
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The interview marks are unjustly allotted totally basing on favouritism. One who could speak well was given good marks, and others were denied. The candidate who has maximum marks on this merit list even she does not cross me in CGPA. (All list can be seen at gcuf.edu.pk, and under Admissions > M Phil 1st Merit List).
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The “qualifying” marks for interview 10 are put unjustly. There is no rule in university policy for “minimum” marks in interview. But it is done here. The limit was placed, so I could be allotted minimum marks in interview and thus to disqualify me.
It is frustrating for me being denied after all this time. But I’ll fight. If they do not yield I’ll go to high court. If I am to be defeated so be it, but I am not going to make it easy for them. I am not going to give up just yet.
Edit: I've added screen shots of merit lists of various departments
including English and Applied Linguistics. The difference is obvious.
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| M Phil Applied Linguistics |
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| M Phil Bio Technology |
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| M Phil Business Administration |
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| M Phil Chemistry |
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| M Phil English |
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| M Phil PakStudies |
4 comments:
Well, I sympathize with you.
I read your post in detail and felt bad that though you have a higher CGPA than many others but you have not been selected merely because of interview which amounts for 15% of the entire score (that may have been conducted to evaluate the skills such as pronunciation, fluency, comprehension and so forth). I hope your case be reconsidered on just and moral grounds.
Having said that I rephrased your main points in the bullets, if you want you can have a look at them.
They are below:
The admission criterion (criteria) states that merit be calculated by taking into consideration: Academic (Record) that would amount for 80 points, (i)nterview would amount for (15) points and publications would amount for 5 points. (But) However, Applied Linguistics Selection Committee have give more weight to the interviews which is unfair. I consider this as favouritism by giving preference to those who can speak the language better than those who don’t. It amounts to denying a right to make it to the merit list for (deserving=??) students like me (myself). There are at least three students ( that I know of) on this merit list which ( who ) have (got) 2nd division whereas, I have got 1st Division. Their names are: Ghulam Dastgir, Zia-ur-Rehman and Bahadur Ali, and probably many more like them. While deserving (students) like me are NOT selected and are sitting outside, the above mentioned candidates have secured the seats which is unjust and inquiry must be made regarding their selection.The “criteri(a)” followed by (the Department of ) Applied Linguistics states that “Research, Interview and GAT Scrores” are to be taken into consideration while reaching the final decision for selection of candidates. If this was the way, ( If that be the case then) I could get admission very easily but I am sure that GAT score has not been considered at all or has been given lesser weight than “other factors”.The interview marks are unjustly allotted totally basing on favouritism. (During the selection of candidates I believe that “interview” is necessarily been given more importance and weight which is unfair and has lead to favouritism. (One who could speak well was given preference over others by overlooking on all the rest of the criteria of selection.) The (A candidate) who has secured top slot on the merit list has lower CGPA than that of mine. All the list(s) can be accessed on the university website: (www.gcuf.edu.pk) under Admissions > M Phil 1st Merit List).The “qualifying” marks for interview are 10 points out of 15 which are unjust. There is no rule in our university policy for a condition of “minimum” marks in interview however; this new rule was imposed without the prior knowledge or notice of applicants. I strongly believe that this “new condition of securing minimum 10 points” was introduced to disqualify me which is unfair and unjust!
ALL THE BEST!!
Well, I read your post and I sympathise with you. In Pakistan, every institution is questionable. Nothing is transparent hence, problems keep popping up!
Having said that, I edited your main points in the bullet and you can have a look...
The admission criterion (criteria) states that merit be calculated by taking into consideration: Academic (Record) that would amount for 80 points, (i)nterview that would amount for 15 points and publications that would amount for 5 points. (But) However, Applied Linguistics Department's Selection Committee have give more weight to the interviews which is unfair. I consider this as favouritism by giving preference to those who can speak the language better than those who can not. Which is questionable and needs explaination.
There are at least three students (that I know of) who are on this merit list with 2nd Divisions whereas, I have got 1st Division and I could not make it to the list. Their names are: Mr. Ghulam Dastgir, Mr. Zia-ur-Rehman and Mr. Bahadur Ali, and probably many more like them have been chosen unfairly whereas deserving students like myslef are NOT selected. Their selection is unjust and inquiry must be made regarding their selection.
The “criteri(a)” followed by (the Department of ) Applied Linguistics states that “Research, Interview and GAT Scrores” are to be taken into consideration for reaching the final decision on selection of candidates. If this was the way, ( If that be the case then) I could get admission very easily but I am sure that GAT score has not been considered at all or has been given lesser weight than “other factors”.The interviews are NOT the sole criteria of selction but it seems that unnecessary importance and weight is given to interviews which is unfair and has lead to favouritism. (One who could speak well was given preference over others by overlooking on all the rest of the criteria of selection.) The (A candidate) who has secured top slot on the merit list has lower CGPA than that of mine. All the list(s) can be accessed on the university website: (www.gcuf.edu.pk) under Admissions > M Phil 1st Merit List).The “qualifying” marks for interview are 10 points out of 15 which are unjust. There is no rule in our university policy for a condition of “minimum” marks in interview however; this new rule was imposed without the prior knowledge or notice of applicants. I strongly believe that this “new condition of securing minimum 10 points” was introduced to disqualify me which is unfair and unjust!
I HOPE THINGS TURN OUT WELL!ALL THE BEST!
Thanks Sarah for rephrasing it. :-)
That's what I wanted to say. And I am not alone, several others are suffering. Additionally the policy was not changed by the university but it is the invention of this particular department.
I am looking forward to get admission, and I hope this is not going to happen with me.
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