PHC summons Peshawar BISE chairman, controller of examinations over student awarded 'zero' in biology

​​​​​​​Reprimands legal representative for flouting court order, not producing petitioner’s original answer sheet

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has summoned the chairman and controller of examinations of the Peshawar Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) in person, along with the original Biology theory answer sheet and complete record of a ninth-grader who was allegedly awarded zero marks due to erroneous checking, it emerged on Wednesday.

On August 21, ninth-grade student Abdul Moiz Khan challenged the zero marks awarded to him in the Biology I theory examination conducted by Peshawar BISE in the PHC. The court asked the controller of examinations of the board to produce the student’s original answer sheet during the next hearing scheduled for Aug 25.

On the day of the hearing, a two-member bench comprising PHC Senior Puisne Judge Ijaz Anwar and Justice Babar Sattar heard the petition filed by the student through his counsel Aminur Rehman Yousafzai.

Yousafzai told the court that his client was awarded zero marks in the Biology theory paper.

Justice Anwar enquired about the status of the matter from the legal counsel for the Peshawar BISE, Zainul Abideen. In response, he assured the court that the petitioner’s grievance would be addressed, acknowledging that his Biology-I paper had been wrongly checked and that he was inadvertently awarded zero marks.

The BISE’s counsel said that the examination papers were assigned computer-generated codes after reaching the board.

He said that, due to an error, the student’s paper had inadvertently been assigned another number.

Read: PHC seeks original answer sheet of student awarded 'zero' in biology

Justice Anwar expressed serious concern over the explanation and observed that the error had come to light because the student approached the court.

He reprimanded the BISE legal representative, noting that despite the bench’s earlier direction, the original Biology-I paper of the petitioner had not been produced before the court.

The court also expressed concern over the repeated complaints brought before it by students regarding errors and negligence on the part of board officials in the preparation of examination results.

Criticising the board, Justice Anwar said, “You are playing with the future of children,” adding that such cases continued to come before the court, with students being awarded fewer marks and authorities later attributing the discrepancies to mistakes.

“This student was the son of the lawyer who helped him contest his case in the court,” the senior puisne judge remarked, adding that not every student could afford legal services to take their results-related grievances to the court.

Building on the case, the petitioner’s counsel informed the court that around 1.9 million students had submitted applications for rechecking to the board.

He said the issue faced by the student was “resolved” by the board.

Read more: Peshawar Board suspends 17 teachers over MCQs leak

But the court observed that awarding zero marks to a student in an exam was not a minor matter that could not be resolved so easily and required serious consideration, and directed the board authorities to produce the student’s original examination paper and complete record before the bench at the next hearing.

Addressing the board counsel, the judge said, “This has become a routine for you. We cannot leave the matter like this.”

Justice Anwar said action against those responsible was necessary to bring about improvement and directed the chairman and controller of examinations of Peshawar BISE to appear in person during the next court proceedings.

The court was adjourned until September 9.

Separately, the legal counsel of the petitioner told The Express Tribune today that the BISE has reissued the mark sheet of the aggrieved ninth grader, updating his total Biology score to 72 out of 75.

“The zero in his biology theory paper has been changed to 65 by the controller of examinations,” he added while sharing the photocopy of the new detailed marks certificate issued in the student’s name with The Express Tribune.

He said he would share the certificate with the court at the next hearing.