Head of Islamic Azad University: The Entrance Exam in Iran Has an 8 Trillion Toman Financial Turnover

The head of Islamic Azad University states that the entrance exam in Iran has a financial turnover of "8 trillion" tomans, and for this reason, "some stakeholders do not allow its removal." According to a report on Tuesday, December 5, by Tasnim News Agency, Farhad Rahbar made this statement on the sidelines of Student Day at the Tehran West branch of this university. Rahbar added that one of the proposals from Islamic Azad University is to hold multiple exams each year instead of "holding one entrance exam a year and causing stress for families." He further stated that universities could accept students based on "the highest score of the individual." The head of Islamic Azad University criticized the fact that this does not happen and said that "the classes for the entrance exam and the organization of tests and related issues have a financial turnover of 8 trillion tomans, and certain individuals do not allow the entrance exam to be abolished." Rahbar added: "See who these individuals are and why they do not allow the entrance exam to be removed? Why do they stress the community and not allow the higher education system in Iran to function like the rest of the world?" Concurrently with Rahbar's statements, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Education in Iran also stated that the abolition of the national entrance exam for universities and higher education institutions is "a major and primary priority in implementing the fundamental transformation document of education." According to IRNA, Mehdi Navid-Adham in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad added that after the abolition of the entrance exam, "the path for implementing the fundamental transformation document of education will be further facilitated." He added that one of the fundamental programs in implementing this document is to transform the educational system into a "cultural and educational institution" so that the country's students can be nurtured for "better living." The head of the Education, Research, and Technology Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly also stated that "we do not accept the assessment system based on the entrance exam at all" and said that "the entrance exam must be definitively abolished." According to Young Journalists Club, Mohammad Mahdi Zahedi added that "the role of the entrance exam in student admissions must be diminished" and the student assessment and admission law passed in 2013 must be implemented. He stated that standardized tests for student admissions in education must be developed, and this organization "must create a very strong assessment system in terms of question design, distribution, and security to prevent any leaks and violations." These officials' statements come as Tuesday night is the last deadline for registering for the entrance exam's capacity completion, and according to the senior advisor of the assessment organization, more than 44,000 people have registered for the capacity completion period of the national entrance exam. According to ISNA, Hossein Tokali stated that the acceptance capacity in the national entrance exam period is 17,707 candidates.