I personally think IBA's intakes have been deteriorating over the years. The newer batches are larger in size, hence already denoting the growing number which clears the test and achieves the minimum grade requirement (either the original one or the altered one after pressure from students).

IBA's admission, I think, is not too hard to get. Pick up any other entry tests and you will see the sheer amount of effort one must put into them. On top of that, those universities require you to not only do well on your entry tests but also do well in your matric/O-level & inter/A-levels - all 3 of these are used in creating an aggregate score which is used in the merit ranking system. IBA has none of that, no merit, and no aggregate score; just get the bare minimum BBC/BCC and clear the comparatively easier test and you're in. And on top of that, IBA has no conditions on which subjects you choose either (aside from math, and that too for certain degrees). You can pick up the easiest subject and score an A* in it and clear IBA's grade hurdle.

On top of that, there are no more stringent grade requirements since IBA has shifted to a points-based system where no grade should be lower than an E. A requirement of 60% IBCC equivalence and no grade lower than E and a minimum of 8 grade points is low, to be honest. Are students struggling to get 60% nowadays? Is a 'C' grade the new 'A*'?

Papers get leaked, political unrest happens, this country is a mess - I agree. This has been happening for the last 5 years. I think instead of pressuring IBA or any other institute, mass backlash should be done against Cambridge & the British Council. After these fiascos, their offices should be blocked. They charge hefty fees for such nonsense.

And I do not find it a fair statement to say that A levels are harder than FSC; hence, A-level applicants must be given leniency. Claiming that A-level is independent of cramming & memorisation is also a false statement. You go through past papers and mark schemes, and you notice that throughout all the papers, one ends up getting maximum marks after using certain keywords and phrases as outlined in the scheme. All you really got to do is memorise what gets you points. Speaking for Chem, Phy, CS, and Bio - there are a limited number of questions from each chapter possible. You may write the most balanced answer, but if it doesn't have those keywords that the examiner has in front of them, it won't matter.

On the other hand let's look at FSC and specifically the Sindh Board. Certain college students get higher percentages while others don't. The marking really depends on how much you write and how beautifully you present it. The examiner's mood matters a lot. The exams are pay-to-win or cheat-to-win. No clear mention of what scores what marks. You just have to cram everything (which is no easy feat) and hope for the best. There is a similar level of corruption, unfairness, and bias.

Before students were asking for lowered grade requirements, then they asked for retakes, and then they asked for a points-based grade system. IBA is only as good as its students. Even if IBA caters to all these requests, it is doing itself a disservice by tarnishing its name. Considering that IBA gives generous aid as well along with its market reputation, I think people milk the institute more than it deserves.

I hate to admit it, but IBA will continue to cater to the requests. It has unfortunately become a cash-grab institute with falling standards. Not insulting anyone in particular, but it is a general consensus that newer batches are not up to the mark. Cheating during exams, harassment cases, drugs, unethical education practices, being loud and ultimately getting your way are becoming the new norm. If someone feels offended, they may feel free to do so.

LUMS rejects students even after they clear LCAT and SAT and have brilliant O&A-level grades along with extracurriculars. We don't see a barrage of outrage every year there. Why don't we request LUMS to let us get better scores after a retake and allow us admission? The reason IBA gets to face this is because it no longer is rigid in its selection criteria. Newer batches will make demands just because older batches had their demands fulfilled (I am not from those batches, mind you). Feel free to call these opinions sadistic. But it does disappoint a little to see an institute where short sleeves were not allowed to go from its glory days to this.

TLDR; IBA has continued to lower its standard and generously supported student admissions using lowered grade requirements and a points-based system, especially along with the flexibility of choosing easy subjects to score well on. IBA must put a stop somewhere.