Inter board tries to avoid lapses of matric exams

BIEK chief says QR code on question papers will expose the paper leak location

KARACHI:

The Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) has completed all the arrangements for the grade XI and XII examinations starting today, BIEK Chairman Naseem Memon said in a media briefing at the Board Office on Wednesday.

BIEK has formulated a strategy to prevent the complaints about malpractice and leaking of papers received in the matriculation examinations, he said.

Naseem Memon said that for the first time, the centre's QR code security feature has also been inserted in the copies for transparency in the examinations. The centre will be identified when the paper is out from anywhere. Strict orders have been issued to the chief coordination officers (CCOs) of the centres that the internal supervisor will sign the bundle when it opens, note the time and make a video of a few seconds and send it to the control room of the board. No compensation will be given to the examination officials if videos are not delivered. The exam will start from 9am, half an hour earlier, to avoid exposure to heatwave, he said.

Naseem said that BIEK was using security services from the Police Foundation which were being extended every month. This time, he said, the board has secured security services from Rangers for the 26 sensitive centres.

He announced that more than 139,000 male and female students from Science Pre-Engineering, Pre-Medical, Science General, and Home Economics groups of Class XI and XII will participate in these exams starting June 1.

The exam will be held in two shifts, the morning shift will be from 9 AM to 12 PM and the evening shift will be from 2pm to 5pm. Around 179 examination centres have been set up out of which 26 have been declared sensitive.

BIEK chief said that additional security and vigilance teams have been deployed to ensure transparency of examinations. Cold water, first aid, and ambulance facilities are also provided at the examination centres. Strict measures have been taken to prevent duplication and section 144 will be enforced around the examination centres. Various security features have been added for timely delivery and transparency of exam papers.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2024.