LAHORE - An inquiry committee looking into alleged irregularities in PhD admissions to the Institute of Communication Studies (ICS) has found anomalies in the evaluation process for entrance test and recommended 10 marks for all candidates.
In the light of recommendations of the inquiry committee, PU VC Dr Zafar Moeen Nasir set up the Departmental Doctoral Programme Committee, which decided to award 10 additional marks to all candidates as compensation for the wrong evaluation done earlier by faculty members.
This is common practice at the ICS. Last year too, PhD admissions were cancelled because of irregularities committed by senior teachers of the institute. The candidates who qualify the written test are dropped in the interview phase, as they are given zero marks, said a candidate on condition of anonymity. The candidate had scored good marks in the test, but he was given 4.75 marks in interview when he required five marks to make his way to the list of final candidates.
On the other hand, candidates with low scores in the written test were given favours in interviews.
When contacted, acting ICS Director Dr Noshina Saleem and Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences Dr Zakria Zakir didn’t respond to queries about irregularities in the institute.
An official of the Higher Education Department said the government would investigate the admissions scam at PU if any written complaint is filed.
PU Public Relations Officer Khurram Shahzad, a candidate for PhD at the ICS, had challenged the evaluation process headed by senior faculty members in the Lahore High Court, maintaining that he was victimised in the entrance test.