Federal board: To pass matric and inter, students get 10 chances

FBISE announces to abolish matric part-I practical examinations.

ISLAMABAD: Students failing their matriculation or intermediate examinations will get nine more chances in five years.

A notification issued by the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) on Saturday said, “the restriction on the number of chances for appearing in failed subjects is removed with the condition that this facility must be availed within five years from the candidate’s first attempt.”

Students reappearing in exams will have to prepare according to the latest syllabus, the notification said. However, the old syllabus in any subject will be kept in practice for up to two consecutive chances, the notification added.

According to another notification issued on November 15, any student clearing Secondary School Certificate (SSC) or Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) part I from any other education board will be allowed to appear in part II examinations under the FBISE after their marks are calculated as per FBISE’s scheme.

In addition to that, FBISE also announced to abolish the practical examinations of SSC-I and HSSC-I annual examinations.

“The board will conduct composite practical examinations in all subjects. Hence, fresh candidates appearing in SSC-1 and HSSC-1 Annual Examinations 2012 will take their part-I practical examinations along with part-II in 2013,” stated the notification.

The board also notified that practical examinations of 20 marks at SSC level in science subjects would be conducted by internal and external examiners for 10 marks each. At the HSSC level, practical examination of 30 marks will be conducted by internal and external examiners for 10 and 20 marks respectively.

However, practical examinations for computer science will be conducted by external examiners.

The notification also said that the students of any group are allowed to appear in any one or two additional subjects after having cleared SSC and HSSC examinations as the case may be.

Officials of the FBISE said that there had been a great demand from students and parents for more chances to pass the exams and providing them chance to shift their boards.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2011.