Judging from recent years' SPM and STPM results, either the standards have dropped due to lowering of the pass mark right up to A1 or the examination questions have become so predictable over the years that students with good tutors can answer questions of any combination available.

The latter is not confined to our local examinations only but also the 'A' levels in the United Kingdom, for example, where straight As are so common and numerous that British education authorities are now trying out new means of choosing students of the right aptitude and suitability for each course.

It is unreasonable to expect every student with straight As to be able to get the course of their choice. It is impossible to predict the results each year and it is impractical to offer courses that can meet the first choice of every straight As student.

To increase intake into public varsities just to meet the needs of every straight As student is ideal, but if the standard of education has actually dropped, then there is the danger that mediocre students will be accepted as top students.

For example, one student might have obtained 70% (assuming this is the threshold) and another would have obtained close to 100%. There is no way one can tell one from the other.

Either there should be disclosure of actual marks obtained or another selection process should be introduced to test each student's aptitude and suitability for each course of study.

The different standards for the matriculation and STPM examination further add to the problems of fairness in selection. Unless and until there is uniformity in entrance examinations, any proposal will only be a short-term measure to please complaining students.

Judging from the low quality of graduates from public universities, nothing short of meritocracy can effectively solve the real problem at hand.