Intermediate results raise eyebrows

Despite no changes in the examination procedure, a large number of failing students have passed their second-year exam

KARACHI:

The surprising improvement in the passing ratio of the second-year pre-engineering and pre-medical exams held by the Karachi Higher Secondary Education Board has raised several eyebrows. The doubts in the veracity of the results have been fueled by the general perception that the Board may have relaxed its grading criteria to avoid facing criticism like last year, when nearly 66 per cent of students had failed.

In 2024, however, the results for the same students appearing for the second-year exams have shown a significant increase from 34.7 per cent to 46.9 per cent for pre-engineering and from 36.8 per cent to 52.5 per cent for pre-medical.

"The teachers and students are the same as last year while there were no changes in the examination procedures either. In this case, how did the results improve so drastically?" questioned a senior college professor, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

"Although I am not accusing the board of non-transparency, last year too, the Karachi Inter Board officials had defended the low first-year results as accurate," claimed the professor, who suspected that if the Board was inquired about the unusually high results of this year, it would justify this unusual increase as well.

Notably, the release of the first-year intermediate results last year instigated an uproar from students who protested at the Karachi Press Club and the Inter Board Office, demanding a review. For last year's first-year pre-engineering exams, out of 23,994 candidates, only 8,328 passed all six papers, with a 34 per cent success rate. Additionally, 3,815 students passed five papers, 3,481 passed four, 3,792 passed three, 2,454 passed two, and 1,443 passed only one paper. Similarly, for first-year pre-medical, out of 30,512 candidates, only 11,254 passed all six papers with a 36 per cent success rate while 4,185 passed five papers, 3,869 passed four, 4,602 passed three, 3,707 passed two, and 1,974 passed only one paper.

As the protests grew, the interim Chief Minister formed a three-member fact-finding committee headed by the NED Vice-Chancellor, which included IBA Executive Director Dr Akbar Zaidi and Sindh HEC Secretary Moinuddin Siddiqui.

After an investigation, the committee presented a report to the Chief Minister, who approved additional or "grace" marks for the affected students of the first-year Intermediate exams. The committee recommended awarding 15/15 marks in mathematics, 12/12 in physics/statistics, 12/12 in chemistry, and 6/6 in botany and zoology however, many students still failed to reach the passing mark even after the grace marks.

According to sources of the Express Tribune, this year however, the number of successful candidates for the six papers of the pre-engineering exams has risen from 8,328 last year to 11,122. Similarly, the number of students passing the six pre-medical exams has also increased from 11,254 to 14,948.

Addressing the difference in the results, Zarina Rasheed, the Board's Controller of Examinations explained that second-year books had been changed, and new adjustments were made to last year's curriculum, with multiple-choice questions (MCQs) making up 20 per cent of the exam for the first time. "Students have now adjusted to these changes. Furthermore, strict marking was applied last year, while grading was closely monitored this time, leading to an improvement in results. On a separate note, students who appear for their improvement exams in the second year contribute to raising the overall pass percentage," affirmed Rasheed.

Conveying their skepticism over Rasheed's claims, a member of the fact-finding committee established by the former Chief Minister, opined on the condition of anonymity, that despite the committee's identification of marking issues and new recommendations for the examination process, such an immediate difference in results was unlikely.