Scores of Prospective University Students Join Tight Entrance Exam

Kompas/Priyombodo

The officer checks the suitability of photos and faces of participants in the computer-based written exam (UTBK), the second batch of 2020 public higher education entrance joint selection (SBMPTN) at the Veteran National Development University (UPN), Pondok Labu, South Jakarta, on Tuesday (21/7/2020) .

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Institution of University Entrance Exams (LTMPT) data shows that 702,240 prospective students have registered for the 2020 joint entrance test for state universities’ computer-based exam (UTBK-SBMPTN). Of this amount, 661,180 took the exam and 41,240 were absent.

Some 167,652 prospective students were declared to have passed the exam, comprising 123,099 regular participants and 44,554 holders of the Indonesia Smart Card (KIP) for university students.

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This year, no exam takers have the same UTBK scores for the same study programs. “We also implemented a stringent standard deviation,” LTMPT chief executive Budi Prasetyo told a virtual press conference in Jakarta on Friday (14/8/2020).

Favorite study program

LTMPT head Mohammad Nasih said that certain Science-Technology and Social Affairs-Humanities study programs were favored among exam takers. The top five Science-Technology study programs are Padjadjaran University’s Informatics Engineering (accepting one person in 77 exam takers) Diponegoro University’s Dentistry (1:58), Gadjah Mada University’s School of Medicine (1:58), University of Indonesia’s School of Medicine (1:56) and Gadjah Mada University’s Computer Science (1:51). Rounding out the top 10 are Gadjah Mada University’s Biomedical Engineering (1:50), Gadjah Mada University’s Information Technology (1:50), University of Indonesia’s Architecture (1:45), University of Indonesia’s Pharmacy (1:44) and Gadjah Mada University’s Architecture (1:42).

KOMPAS/WISNU WIDIANTORO

The SBMPTN announcement was published in the Wednesday edition of Kompas Daily (10/7/2019).

Meanwhile, the top five Social Affairs-Humanities study programs are University of Indonesia’s Communication Sciences (1:125), University of Indonesia’s International Relations (1:90), Padjadjaran University’s Communication Sciences (1:87), Padjadjaran University’s Management (1:86) and Yogyakarta State University’s Communication Sciences (1:83). Rounding out the top 10 are Gadjah Mada University’s Communication Sciences (1:82), University of Indonesia’s Korean Linguistic and Culture Studies (1:79), Yogyakarta State University’s Psychology (1:74), Gadjah Mada University’s International Relations (1:68) and Gadjah Mada University’s Management (1:66).

The Indonesian Ombudsman observes that certain state universities have held independent entrance exams before the UTBK-SBMTPN.

The Indonesian Ombudsman observes that certain state universities have held independent entrance exams before the UTBK-SBMTPN.

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Indonesian Ombudsman member Ahmad Suaedy said that some parents had voiced their objections that their children’s college fees paid during the independent selection process could not be refunded when their children passed the SBMPTN test.

Nusantara Multimedia University marketing general manager Arief Setyadi said that the university would facilitate prospective students who were waiting for their UTBK-SBMPTN exam results. “We facilitate them with an online system. They may re-register now. If they want to cancel later, please let us know,” he said. (FRD/FAI)