Section 144 will be imposed during the exam hours in sensitive areas. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
KARACHI: For students appearing for the matriculation exams in the city this year, the popular copy-culture may be a little harder to get away with, as authorities claimed to have taken concrete measures to effectively curb the menace. Moreover, around 45 per cent of the 295 exam centres have been declared ‘sensitive’ in terms of cheating and security.
Looking forward to hold the three-week long exams peacefully from April 2 till April 22, Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, along with Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) examinations controller Noman Ahsan addressed a press conference on Wednesday to share the arrangements made by the city administration and the board. This year, around 325,000 students are expected to appear for the board exams. The authorities have decided to hold the exams preferably at big and spacious venues in order to curb the cheating culture. The measure has resulted in significantly decreasing the number of exam centres to 295 from over 350 centres in the past.
Five public colleges will, for the first time, serve as exam centres. These colleges include Government Islamia Arts and Commerce College, New MA Jinnah Road, Government Islamia Science College, New MA Jinnah Road, Liaquat Government Girls College, Malir, Government Degree College, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Government Jamia Millia College, Malir.
Siddiqui explained that the arrangement was the responsibility of the BSEK that held exams according to the schedule decided by the Sindh education department’s steering committee. The city administration was meant to maintain the security.
The authorities have decided to deploy the paramilitary force at all the sensitive exam centres, mostly located in Orangi Town, Korangi, Malir, Baldia, Gadap and Lyari. Moreover, Section 144, which allows the government to act immediately to halt any activity that poses a threat to health, safety or public order, will be imposed during the exam hours in these areas. For vigilance during the exams, the school principals will act as the senior superintendents while 40 vigilance teams will ensure that the exams are conducted in a fair manner.
A formal request has been made to K-Electric to exempt the centres from power outages during exam hours. Meanwhile, the BSEK examinations controller said the board has started issuing admit cards to the school administrations from Monday. He hoped the process will be completed by March 29.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 27th, 2014.
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