Every year at this time, you can read news reports of frustrated students who fail to gain admission to university courses of their choice in spite of good results. As always, they always point to the unfair weightage given to matriculation course students.

In a way it is very true. A student following the matriculation course when compared to one following the STPM can be likened to two athletes running the race on different tracks. The former runs on a state-of-the-art track while the latter on a soggy, muddy track. Definitely the times recorded by the duo cannot be the same.

The only solution is for all Malaysian students to sit for a single uniform exam, be it either the STPM or the matriculation course.

Even with a common examination, accusations of discrimination will continue to exist as long as the students have to state their races when they register for the exam. A computer expert can tell you how grades can still be manipulated. No space for race should be provided in application forms for university courses.

Lastly, there is a need to narrow the range of marks for each grade and at the same time create extra grades. For example, at present a score of 70 - 100 would enable one to get grade 'A'. This results in many of the candidates scoring an 'A'.

To really separate the good from the mediocre, grade 'A' under the present system should be further divided into A1, A2 and A3, with marks ranging from 90 - 100 for A1, 80 - 89 for A2, 70 - 79 for A3. This should similarly be done for lower grades too.

This will show the different standards among the students. Thus, if a student fails to get the course of their choice in a common and fair examination, it is he who is to blame and not the authority.