The Sindh Assembly’s parliamentary committee has made a significant decision to grant grace marks to first-year intermediate students in Karachi who were unable to pass their annual exams. This move, reported by ARY News on Tuesday, comes as a relief to numerous students who faced unexpected failures despite their previous academic performance.
The decision was influenced by a detailed investigation carried out by a fact-finding committee led by Dr. Sarosh Lodi. The committee examined the examination and administrative procedures of the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) and found several irregularities. Their report raised concerns about the board’s overall management, evaluation methods, and potential flaws in the grading system. These findings prompted the provincial government to take corrective action to address the issues.
During a meeting held to discuss the matter, Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah confirmed that the committee had submitted its final report on BIEK’s first-year exam results. The report pointed out various shortcomings in the board’s assessment methods, which led to a significant drop in students’ scores. The minister emphasized that the committee’s investigation revealed clear signs of unfair treatment, as many students who had performed exceptionally well in their matriculation exams received unexpectedly low marks in their first year.
In light of these findings, Education Minister Sardar Ali Shah announced that grace marks would be awarded to students who failed their exams due to the board’s flawed assessment process. The government has decided to grant 15% grace marks in Physics and Mathematics and 20% in Chemistry, ensuring that students are not unjustly penalized for the board’s administrative shortcomings.
The primary goal of this measure is to correct the perceived injustice and restore fairness in the examination system. Additionally, the minister assured that significant reforms would be introduced in BIEK’s structure to prevent similar discrepancies in the future. Authorities responsible for these errors will be held accountable, and changes will be made to improve transparency and efficiency in the board’s operations.
This decision has sparked discussions among students, parents, and education experts, with many welcoming the move as a necessary step to uphold academic integrity. However, others argue that such measures should be accompanied by long-term reforms to ensure that students are assessed fairly in future examinations.
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