Govt cancels all exams across the country

Notification issued by federal education ministry

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Wednesday announced to cancel all scheduled and non-scheduled exams across the country.

A notification in this regard was issued by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training on Wednesday. The notice was dispatched to all provincial governments as well to the authorities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B).

The notification read that the decision was taken in light of the orders of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) and the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC). It further noted that extensive consultative and technical input from the relevant stakeholders had informed the decision.

Moreover, it said that many professional training institutions such as the Institute of Chartered Accountants Pakistan (ICAP) as well as religious seminaries had approached the ministry seeking permission to hold exams in June and July with the assurance that all standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent the disease from spreading will be strictly implemented.

"Any unilateral decision by the provincial or federal governments taken in isolation, without placing the matter for scrutiny in the apex body that is NCOC, will not be advisable at this stage due to the potential adverse implications,” read the notice, adding, “It has come to our knowledge that some provincial governments are considering granting permission, as exceptions, to such institutions". The notice further read that the exception can subsequently lead to agitation by other private educational institutions and professional bodies who may seek similar exemptions.

Since such a move will harm the already overstretched health resources of the provincial and federal governments, therefore, the ministry considers that this was not an appropriate time to give such exemptions to conduct examinations that involve mass gatherings, it stated.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2020.