Inter, matric exams to start in March: Malkani

Minister says working for unified academic calendar

KARACHI:

The matric and intermediate exams will be held in spring season, preferably in the month of March to save the children as well as examination officials from extreme hot weather of May and June, said Minister for Universities and Boards Muhammad Ali Malkani.

“From next year, matriculation and intermediate exams will start from March in Sindh,” Malkani said adding that “gradually we will conduct exams simultaneously with the entire country.”

He said this in a conversation with the media on the occasion of the inauguration of the Student Facilitation Centre at Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) on Friday.

When asked why examinations were conducted during the worst hot weather in Sindh, , the minister for universities and boards said that he will discuss this matter with the Sindh education minister and hope they will find a solution so that it will not happen in the future.

It has been observed that rapid climate changes across Sindh, similar to the rest of the country, have rendered the province’s education calendar out dated and misaligned with current weather conditions.

Nearly two million matric and intermediate students were affected each year in summers. Most of the candidates are forced to sit in exam without fans due to load shedding and power outages during extreme hot weather.

This often results in extended holidays or the postponement of exams, as seen this year with matric and intermediate exams delayed due to extreme heatwaves.

Replying to the question regarding the delay in the appointment of vice-chancellors in the universities of Sindh, the Minister of Universities and Boards said that the criteria for the appointment of vice-chancellors in Karachi Law University are now being changed. It has been recommended that the age limit for the Vice-Chancellor should be increased from 62 to 65 years as none of those who appeared under the age limit of 62 years could clear the interview. After which this principled decision has been made. Meanwhile, the Minister of Universities and Boards, Muhammad Ali Malkani said that we will go for technology-based assessment in the whole of Sindh and we are minimizing the intervention of human hands in the assessment. Minister Universities and Board further said that in 2025 examination we will go towards e-marking.