Affordable and Accessible AI based Aptitude Testing for All

Aptitude tests and career counselling seemed to be a developed market in North America but its not the case in developing countries such as Pakistan. 90% of south Asian students have never had access to any career counselling. They often choose their careers under the heavy influence and expectations from their parents and in absence of any sort of guidance. Only in Pakistan, there are five million students at high school level who take degree and career decision without any guidance. Also, even in North America the aptitude test market is very outdated and conservative. Most of the tests focus on one dimension of students; personality or knowledge base. Students go through aptitude tests which have been developed decades ago. They are suggested careers without any understanding of the process of getting those results. 

We came up with Multidimensional Career Counselling Test (MCCT). MCCT is a three dimensional tests that takes into account multiple dimensions of a student including personality, interest and knowledge.  The tests were locally developed and tested (validated ) for Pakistan’s environment. These tests were then run on successful cases in the field. The people who were happy with their degree choices and were progressing in them.  We spent 1.5 years in running these tests on successful cases and building a database which eventually become a backbone of AI model. So now, when a high school student goes through MCCT, his/her results are matched with successful cases via AI.

Out solution will disrupt the north American outdated, conservative and one dimensional test market. Our test and AI model takes into account local cases and local data points. So students are suggested field after a proper through and objective AI based process rather than general suggestions. In South Asia we will become the first company to offer an affordable and accessible solution to millions of students who, otherwise, have no access to any career counselling services to take the most important decision of their lives.  

Our target market are 8th - 12th grade students (15-18 years old), whom we also describe as pre-university students. The market in Pakistan and South Asia is largely underserved as there are no localized and validated tests available to help guide these students. These students take the most important decision of their lives with zero guidance. They often end up in wrong degrees and wrong careers and stay unhappy for life. 

Our solution gives them affordable and accessible aptitude testing and career counselling services. They take benefit of these services regardless of their income status, background and affiliations. In less than two years we have already touched lives of 13,000 students across Pakistan and hoping to get to 50,0000 students by December 2022.  

Growing up, I was a confused kid. I envied the kids who knew what they wanted to be. I struggled with Science and Maths at school and wanted to opt for Arts in Matric, but was forced into sciences due to its “scope”. In college, there was a lot more choice but next to none counselling and guidance.  Barely 16, I experimented with English literature to Fine Arts to Education and Persian. Fast forward to University admissions and without much thought I opted and cleared test for Computer Sciences at UMT, Lahore. But a day before joining the classes changed my mind and ended up switching to Business Administration. For the first time I could relate to the studies and did quite well. I eventually went on to do my Masters and then PhD in Human Resource from UK. 

I joined academia in 2010 and served for the next 12 years. Just like my younger self, I saw many students struggling to thrive in their degrees and least because they do not work hard but simply because their aptitude and heart is not in it. Students are choosing their undergraduate degrees based on social pressure, scope and popular options. Students are landing in wrong degrees and then wrong jobs, eventually becoming part of this huge army of demotivated workforce. I have tried to help many students through informal counselling but the outreach can be limited at an individual level.  

Therefore, last year we decided to start merafuture.pk which offers AI based aptitude testing at Intermediate level. Our Multidimensional Career Counselling Test helps students understand their personality, interests and strong subject areas. Based on their results they are matched with two most suitable education fields and degrees in Pakistan.

I am very passionate about this field and want to make Career Counselling accessible and affordable to all kids in Pakistan. I have a strong team which specializes in Artificial Intelligence, digital marketing, and business development. We offer the right combination of experience and young blood along with technical and business skill to make the dream come true.    

We want to connect to teams, mentors and startups which can help us improve our AI model and make aptitude testing up to 99% accurate. We are also hoping to collaborate with various partners to make sure this solution goes outside Pakistan and reaches all communities across the world.