High Stakes and Stress
Securing admission to public universities in Iran is highly competitive, leading to significant mental and physical stress for many candidates. The pressure to perform well in the Konkur has been linked to various mental health issues among students . Additionally, the widespread cheating during recent exams, particularly the 2021 entrance exam, has sparked public outrage and calls for reforms .
Declining Participation
Surveys indicate a decline in the number of Konkur applicants from 2001 to 2018, with a brief increase in 2018. For instance, in the 2018 national entrance exam, 791,929 candidates registered, with the Experimental Sciences group having the highest number of applicants (301,580) .
Efforts to Reduce Exam Reliance
Since 2013, there has been a shift towards evaluating students based on their academic records, particularly in institutions like Payam Noor University, Islamic Azad University, and various non-profit universities. By 2015, over 20% of majors in national universities and more than 70% in other universities were filled through this method.
The Entrance Exam Mafia
One of the major criticisms of the Konkur is the existence of the so-called “entrance exam mafia,” which refers to the various institutions that exploit the exam system for financial gain. This includes private tutoring centers and publishers that charge exorbitant fees for their services. The pressure to perform well and the commercialization of exam preparation have added another layer of stress and inequity for students.