IBA jest and PST tests

Ali Gul Leghari-Johi
School Education and Literacy Department Sindh announced to fill in more than 13 thousand jobs of JESTs and PSTs in March 2021 throughout Sindh. The recruitment process for written test was given to third party SIBA Sindh. Due to the huge number of submitted applications, SIBA scheduled to take written test of JESTs from 13 September to 19 September and from 20 to 26 September for PSTs respectively. Candidates were also told about the syllabus of both positions. Test consisted of 100 MCQs and candidates were given 90 minutes to complete the test. Subjects of the test were Mother tongue/ Sindhi, English, Mathematics, Science and miscellaneous (General knowledge, Islamiat/Ethics, Current affairs, Computer) etc. It was also announced that every candidate has to pass 45% (9 questions out of20) from each section to qualify for the position. Cut off ratio was 55 marks out of 100. Every day after every test, the feedback given by candidates was extremely horrible. Most of the candidates complained about the toughness of test. Some blamed IBA for taking test out of syllabus. Others blamed it a conspiracy against Sindhi youth. From the level of test, it can be said that the policy 45% from each section was extremely difficult to qualify the test. On the other hand, the way the cries of candidates of being heard at social media is also quite unfair. First thing that IBA didn’t go out of syllabus. All the questions were from the syllabus of STBB. The test was not much difficult but it was a bit tricky. Cries of candidates are much louder than the toughness of test. According to candidates, most difficult part of test was Mother Tongue/ Sindhi because this portion comprised of Sindhi grammar. But thanks to IBA who reminded us of the how difficult our original Sindhi language. If someone fails to qualify test, he/she blames IBA at social media and other like minded ones share the posts. But the thing is that we have to admit our weaknesses. Most of us always cry for the jobs but never try for advance preparation. When jobs are announced, we wait for the test schedule but do not concentrate on studies deeply even we get the complete outline of syllabus. Finally we depend on luck and prayers. When we are disappointed with our results, we start blaming others. But we have to accept the truth that we were not fully prepared for test because confessing the truth is a sign of bravery. In order to confessing our mistakes, we must also identify and work out on our weaknesses found in the test. Our best learning experience is from our own mistakes. Besides this, there are many other jobs we can prepare for very well. Considering the teaching jobs everything means one of our poorest judgement. Though SPSC has been suspended for sometime by Honourable High Court Sindh and their matter is still in pending but there are a number of BPS 16 and above jobs which are announced in first week of every month. Finally,Sindh Government and Education & Literacy Department should also consider to cancel the policy of 45% from each subject. It is a multi-subjected test but no one is perfect in each subject. If a candidate gets good marks in all other subjects but fails to attain 45% in one subject, it will be quite injustice and cut off ratio should also be reduced from 55% to 50% so that maximum candidates may be passed