Majority of the universities in Pakistan are employing 'absolute marking technique' for evaluation of examination papers. Some are also making use of relative marking technique. These two dissimilar appraisal techniques go against the very spirit of standardization and harmonization. This creates undue snags for students who switch, or migrate, from the institutions using absolute marking system to the ones that employ other systems. So it negates the notion of level-playing field for everyone. Absolute marking method is quite straightforward; you would be graded according to your marks (marks and their corresponding grades are usually pre-defined). The relative marking procedure, though, is a bit complicated and obscure. It takes into account the score of a student in a particular subject as well as his relative standing in the class for that course. Relative marking, more often than not, drops the individual's score. For instance, if one attains even 90% marks, his/her grade would be lower if majority of the class scores more than 90 % marks. Thus, this system somehow incites negative competition. When there is so much talk of cooperative study, or cooperative learning, absolute marking is the ideal system. I suggest the Higher Education Commission (HEC) should take measures to bring homogeneity and synchronization in the educational system. -AMIR IKRAM, Lahore, January 4.