Investigation of the Challenges of Indigenous Selection in University Entrance Exams in Iran

This descriptive survey aimed to investigate challenges of indigenous selection in University Entrance Exams. The study population included vice-chancellors of academic affairs, vice-chancellors of student's affairs, heads of security department of state universities affiliated to the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology, and those managers involved in indigenous selection from Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology, and National Organization for Educational Testing. Each completed a measure developed based on interview and previous records to assess indicators related to each dimension. Factor Analysis and Analysis of Variance indicated that educational, cultural-familial, social, and economic dimensions are the most important challenges of indigenous selection, respectively. Current results also indicated that the most significant challenge in the educational dimension was the reduction of elite student's access to top universities and professors. Overall, 53.5% of the respondents expressed their strongest opposition to the educational dimension of indigenous selection, with vice-Chancellors of academic affairs accounting for 61.5% of the total figure. Finally, a significant difference was found between respondent's opinions in terms of educational and cultural-familial dimensions, but not social and economic aspects.