Facilitate students at exam centres: BSEK chairman

Students sitting the grade nine and tenth exam should be allowed extra time if the paper is delayed due to any reason, said Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) Chairman Syed Sharaf Ali Shah.

“Given the extreme hot weather, children should be allowed to enter the examination hall on time, instead of making them wait outside in the sun,: Shah said during survey of various examination centres on Wednesday.

BSEK chief and Examination Controller Khalid Ihsan, accompanied by journalists from print and electronic media, conducted visits to various examination centres. They scrutinized candidates present in the examination rooms and reviewed the examination environment thoroughly.

The invigilator staff at the examination centers emphasized that, similar to last year, candidates are not permitted to enter the examination rooms without undergoing a search, surrendering their mobile phones, and presenting identification. The chairman instructed all center superintendents to grant students additional time in case of any delay in receiving examination papers, ensuring they can complete their papers comfortably. Center superintendents will be held responsible if papers are distributed before the scheduled time.

Furthermore, it was directed that male and female students should not be allowed to enter examination centers during extreme heat. School principals were instructed to ensure students arrive at examination centers on time and provide cold water coolers to prevent any accidents. Strict action will be taken against any examination center in case of complaints.

Subsequently, a student caught copying at Ahmad Bawani Academy Girls Secondary School FB area examination center was reported to the board office's reporting cell. On May 9th, the Science Group Class I Biology Paper I and General Group Class X English Compulsory Paper II examinations will be held in the evening.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 9^th, 2024.