12 Reasons Why the PTE amends must not be approved by Immigration!!

 

12 Reasons Why the PTE amends must not be approved by Immigration!!

 

Pearson has amended the PTE equivalency with IELTS which is not yet implemented by the immigration.

 

1. Driven by commercial interest and Conflict of interest

 

The research to private profit motive companies was carried out by who? Will the research be published in some peer-reviewed journal? Is the study checked for the Conflict of interest, their claim, validity and reliability? Why is the whole thing not published? Can the relationship with the research team be independently validated?

What is the validity of such a reason if it was done by some other and was there any conflict of interest? Who ordered and paid it? How were samples collected? What is the credibility of people who did it? It seems like even the basic principles of research were not followed.

 

2. Illogical Gap?

 

GAP between points could not be validated mathematically (is not logical).

GAP (7-8) is 66 to 84=18 points

8-9 is 6 points

 

The people who require 6 in IELTS will attend the exam (more Money). People who need 8 will have to appear in more attempts as 84 in each band (more Money). They are not talking about improving the exam or marking system but scale.

 

The lower scores like 4.5,4,5 around 7 points have been deducted, making it more manageable. Commercially, this will hurt IELTS (they will prefer PTE). Hence do they have the right to self deduct 7 marks?

 

3. Conversion looks flawed

 

For IELTS it is 8 out of 9, then why it isn’t 80/90 but 84/90 (more than 80).

Or 7/9 why not 70/90 but 66/90 (less than 70).

It appears to be mathematically illogical (maybe correct your exam not marking).

 

Before 83 was 8.5, and I saw many people getting 83. So, maybe they are making it just without any other reason making it 84. So, people have to retake it - more Money.

 

And why must IELTS (which is another test or competitor) be taken as standard rather than some standard framework? Immigration should make the standard (and act as a base), and it should not be like self-declaration.

4. Illogical change?

 

When a system is changed due to an issue, then the whole scale is either increased or decreased in usual times but interestingly in this case some score is increased whereas some are lowered from their own convenience? How is it scientific or logical?

 

5. Flawed marking? Where is the punishment? How is accountability? Legality?

 

Since there are no changes in the tool or exam yet devalued their marking scheme alone, they are virtually agreeing their evaluation (whatever they had done so far) was not right or made a mistake (their earlier assessment was wrong) as IELTS has not changed (they are matching against the same thing).

 

 If we agree upon them, then, many people get more points because of this which is a disadvantage to others (as it is higher marks higher priority). So, they should not be held accountable for their mistake? This obviously affected millions of people and changed many people’s lives.

 

What about those who secured 48 only and could not apply for some visas? Or with 80 who got 20 points. Also how can immigration believe in such a tool?

 

6. Not about computers vs paper:

 

This may become an argument due to computer-based exams vs paper-based exams. But we have the same equivalency for the computer-based IELTS as well. So, this argument has no advantage.

 

7. Improving exam or changing marking?

 

The problem lies with a testing tool, the way of repeating questions, machine-marked or in the marking scale itself? When there is a problem, you correct the tool or marking style, make marking more stringent or change the scale? Is it not deviating from the actual problem? Whatever scale is adopted the problem will not be solved unless we got the marking or tool right.

 

8. Wrong authority

 

Isn’t it the immigration or their research team or any third party responsible to determine how equivalency works first of all? Or even decide whether to allow or discontinue PTE (which seems to be too unreliable, changing things)? Is it possible for private profit-oriented companies to announce their value against the competitor and impact the fate of many PR aspirants?

The key reason PTE is getting business is due to the immigration purposes. If you have any doubt over the soundness of the tool, remove it from the immigration language test and see how many will take this exam.

 

9. “Infamous” test

 

The test is infamous for being a “memory test”-(repeat a sentence, write from the dictation) in some portion (which is denied by again being a self-research team), being too technical or bot-like which can be fooled. It also claims to test many skills together, so if a person is not good in speaking, a person will suffer in listening as well and vice versa and similar to other skills (one skill impacting other skills). The so-called reading test is a more logical test and writing test where essay writing has less weightage than “memory test” write from dictation!! Hence should the company have a view of improving this or de-valuate things?

Invest more in making new questions, do not repeat questions and make your algorithm smarter then, even those 65,79 will be uphill. But what is being done? Rather than investing on it, let’s change the scale.

 

10. Credibility?

 

How can a test claim its credibility which changes things overnight as a surprise without any prior notice? What is a guarantee for anyone taking the exam, that they will change it after six months (devalue what you have got)? You don’t even need to provide some pre-notice? Immigration offers typically six months to 12 months notice. So, can a private company do whatever whenever they want to?

 

11. Fewer people will take it?

 

It is quite intense; what has been done is neither fair, logical nor may not be legal as well. But why is no-one talking? Where are the so-called student’s welfare council, associations? Fair practice authority? Or representatives? Even the media is not concerned about it? It may impact thousands of people.

Why because it is related to business? Or immigrants who do not vote? Why do the organizations, activists, lawyers working for students, or people in general not talk about the injustice?

 

12. Customer betrayal.

 

It is yet to be seen how things will be reflected in immigration. It seems like almost selling something promising something and after some days letting the customer know that that product does not do so. It is considered as deceiving or misinformation which can be punishable by customers act (even customer watchdog may be interested if reported). You can give money saying that is 500$ and the next day say it is just $100. Of course it is cheating.

The people who took the exam before 1st December 2020 are also impacted then, so Pearson should be held accountable for that and must provide compensation and refund. Also, why are they concerned about devaluing their things themselves? IELTS does not seem to be bothered.

 

It isn’t just a rant, but impacts so many people in a way that they feel but have not been able to express or miss.

 

The long term solution is, immigration must launch an investigation to check the examination model, Money Making tactics, level of problem etc. in PTE exam using their independent researchers and experts then decide, either to continue with PTE or not (or what does be the scale) or advise them to improve current practices. But immigration must definitely not go for the more Money making tactics as of now.

RELATED ARTICLES-

life coach personal coach interview preparation family coach (gkworks.in)