Wanchai Sirichana, president of the council, said yesterday after a meeting of the CUPT that A-Net overlaps with the Ordinary National Educational Test (O-Net), and that only O-Net would be kept as part of university admission.

Besides O-Net, the Aptitude Test would be conducted as well as the GPAX when students' admission scores are being considered. Wanchai said, however, that the CUPT has not yet thought about the weighting that would be given to the three components of scores.

The grade point average (GPA) would no be longer considered for university entrance as it was quite similar to GPAX, said Wanchai, who is also president of Mae Fah Luang University.

The new system will start in the 2010 education year.

The Council also agreed to provide seats and financial support for 604 students from the three southernmost provinces, Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, for all 26 state universities. The council will co-ordinate with the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre in setting criteria for selecting students to receive the support.

The CUPT meeting yesterday also resulted in upgrading the council's status as an association. Wanchai said being an association would give the council, which comprises 26 state universities nationwide, a legal identity and authority. The council will soon register its new status with the government.