Matric exams off to a troubled start

Annual examinations for classes IX and X under the Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) have commenced across the metropolis, with over 385,000 candidates appearing at 521 examination centres established in 18 towns. The exams were conducted in two shifts under strict security arrangements, while 51 vigilance teams were deployed to curb cheating. According to the BSEK, paper distribution was monitored through a control room and special measures were taken to ensure transparency, including monitoring via video calls and WhatsApp groups. Section 144 was also imposed around examination centres. In the morning shift, Class X students appeared for Computer Science, while General Science was held in the afternoon. Each paper was of three hours' duration. However, complaints of mismanagement and lack of facilities surfaced at several centres. Issues including shortage of furniture, non-functional fans, and power outages were reported, forcing candidates to sit in difficult conditions. In some centres, students were reportedly made to sit on mats due to inadequate seating arrangements. At a government boys' secondary school in Malir, students complained of extreme heat due to non-functional fans, while power outages were also reported in several areas despite requests for uninterrupted electricity supply. Reports of irregularities also emerged from different centres. At Government Boys Secondary School No 1 PECHS, multiple incidents of alleged cheating were reported, while during a search operation a student was found carrying a dagger along with cheating material, raising serious concerns over security arrangements at examination centres. On the occasion, BSEK Chairman Ghulam Hussain Soho, while visiting a centre at Pilot Girls Higher Secondary School Nazimabad, claimed that the examinations were being conducted peacefully and arrangements were satisfactory. He said monitoring was being ensured through the control room and vigilance teams were actively working across centres. However, he acknowledged issues such as limited availability of centres in government schools and shortage of furniture, while maintaining that basic facilities including electricity and water were available at all centres. Secondary Education Director Mirza Arshad Baig, however, differed with the board's stance, stating that examination centres are finalised after field verification by board teams. He said that in several cases students were accommodated beyond capacity, with some centres designed for 200 students being allocated up to 400 candidates, causing administrative difficulties. The All Sindh Private Schools and Colleges Association also expressed serious concerns over last-minute centre allocations, software glitches, and issues in the examination registration system, terming them a source of mental stress for students. The association further said overcrowding at smaller centres could facilitate cheating and reflect poor planning by the authorities. Meanwhile, students and teachers demanded better arrangements, citing poor infrastructure and lack of basic facilities at several centres. Despite official claims of smooth conduct, the first day of matric examinations was marked by allegations of mismanagement, infrastructure shortcomings, and security lapses, raising questions over the preparedness of the examination system.