Chaos in Karachi: Inter supplementary exams likely to be delayed

KARACHI: Lack of experience of elements within the Sindh caretaker government has paved the way for educational disarray causing delays in declaring results of matriculation and inter exams of Karachi board.

The repercussions of this ad-hoc approach are severely affecting hundreds of thousands of students.

In Karachi, the results for class 9 science and general groups are yet to be released, and preparations for the results of inter-year 1 remain stuck in a constant state of flux due to frequent changes in the board. The uncertainty is causing mental distress for around 2 lakh students in classes 9 and 11. Moreover, fears loom over the potential postponement of a few papers for the Inter supplementary exams, with concerns tying back to the upcoming general elections.

The matriculation (9th and 10th) annual exams in Karachi took place in May 2023, while the inter-year 11th class exams were held in July. Surprisingly, the matriculation board has not disclosed class 9 results, and the intermediate board is yet to finalize the results for class 11.

Sources reveal that the results for class 9 science and general groups are ready at the matriculation board, but a lack of invigilators to sign the results has led to a standstill.

Schedule announced for today’s hours-long power outage in Karachi

The removal of invigilator exams by the Sindh government further complicates matters. Even after a month, no officer has been appointed as the moderator of the examinations, causing a prolonged delay in releasing the results.

Chairman of the Secondary Education Board Karachi, Professor Sharaf Ali Shah, acknowledges being informed about the issue multiple times. However, due to ongoing queries and unresolved matters, the results, though ready, remain unreleased.

Approximately 100,000 students in Karachi anxiously await their class 9 results, unaware of their performance after 7 months.

With time ticking, these students are left in the dark about which papers they have passed, which ones they need to prepare for class 10, and the potential consequences if they fail.

Meanwhile, at the Inter Board Karachi, Commissioner Karachi Saleem Rajput has made organizational changes, appointing Deputy Controller Zahid Rashid and Deputy Secretary Haroon Rashid to oversee the day-to-day affairs of the Controller of Examination and Secretary Board, respectively, for a two-week period.

However, results for all faculties of the 11th class are delayed, causing distress among first-year students.

Examination copies for various subjects, including English, are still in the evaluation stage, and completion of Commerce Regular subjects’ assessments is uncertain.

The Inter supplementary exams, initially scheduled to begin on January 15, 2024, are now at risk of disruption due to the upcoming general elections on February 8.

The delay in supplementary exams may result in rescheduling, affecting students awaiting their first-year results.