ENTRANCE TESTS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 116, 19 May 1930, Page 12

ENTRANCE TESTS

N.Z. UNIVERSITY

MINIMUM MARKS

REVIEWING RESULTS

The Senate of the New Zealand University to-day decided that the ' minimum marks required in entrance examinations remain as at present; that the present method of reviewal of results on the borderline be continued; also, that the ', Executive Committee consider the question of r-e-scaling of marks. At tho last entrance, scholarship examinations there wore 185 candidates, of whom 10 were awarded University Junior Scholarships, 20 were awarded University National Scholarships, and 4 Taranaki Scholarships, 77 passed with credit, and '63 .others qualified for matriculation. There wena 4586. candidates for the university entrance examination, of whom 2217 passed. In addition there wero 1069 candidates for the accountants' preliminary examination, of whom 54 gained a full pass, 049 qualified for a partial pass, and Hi completed a partial pass. ' Tho Committee on University hntranco Examinations reported as iol- ° of Determining Pass or Failure.—(a) That tho minima required in tho different subjects (40 per cent, in English and 30 per cent, in other subjects) and tho average required tor tho aggregate (45 per cent.) remain as at prefentr (b) that the present method of reviewal of results on the _ borderlino by the Executive Committee bo continued. Note.—The scheme adopted by the Senate in 1929 on the recommendation of the Academic Board aimed at minimising the hardship_ tuat, resulted in the case of good candidates who fell short of the minimum in one subject only by a few marks. It was laid down that such failure in a single subject might bo compensated by excellence in a single subject or group.of cognate, subjects.- ■* RE-MARKING PAPERS. 2 Re-marking of Scripts in Entrance Examination.—(a) That provision bo made for reconsideration of the marks obtained by candidates in the University Entrance Examination; (b) that no candidate be allowed to have his papers reconsidered in more than two subjects. Application to be made not later than the last day of Febru--ary. The fee for each subject to be £1 of which the examiner shall receive ss, and to be returnable at the discretion of. the Vice-Chancellor. Note—The total number of applications for recount in 1928, the last year in which this was permitted, was Of these only 11- were successful. There is reason to believe that reconsideration, though not required by the University, was generally given by examiners. Tho total number of candidates was 4336. .mi 3. Re-sealing or Adjustment ot MarUs —That the whole question be referred to the Executive Committee, which has tho matter in hand and has .already communicated with the Civil Service Commissioners, London, asking for information with regard to the bryan ''sheet" system of adjustment.. 4. Instructions to Examiners.—l hat a small committee consisting ot the Vice-Chancellor and Mr. Morrell redraft a detailed set of instructions to examiners for: the . entrance cxamma- • tions, this committee to report to tUo Executive Committee, which shall have power to act in the "matter. Note.—All assistant examiners for entrance examinations are now appointed by the Executive Committee. , Mr W. J. Morrell, in moving the adoption of the report, drew special attention to the paragraph dealing with what ho described as speculative requests for recounts. As to the appointment of assistant examiners, some criticism which had been made might have had some measure of truth in it several years-ago. The Senate, however, could have confidence in tho fact that the qualifications of assistant examiners were now carefully scrutinised by the Executivo Committee. Mr H. Yon Haast drew attention to a remark recently made at a meeting of an educational body to the cftect that tho standard in matriculation in one subject, as indicated by the numbers and papers, varied to the extent ot from 7 to 30 per cent. That statement was. in his judgment, misleading. Mr Gilray thought it should be made quite' clear that the paragraph with_ respect to recounts was not retrospective. During the two years in which the re- ■ count had been-in abeyance, a eoni--1 m'itteo. had given special consideration 1 to cases of hardship. ~,,.• ' Mr. T. U. Wells suggested that in making appointments of assistant examiners, special consideration should be given to those who had had secondary school experience. The report was adopted.