KARACHI, Jan 3: The boards of examinations are supposed to behave in a responsible manner and their role is important when they admit thousands of students to tests/examinations, observed a division bench of the Sindh High Court on Thursday during the hearing of a constitutional petition filed by Ms Farheen.

The Sindh secretary education and the Board of Intermediate Education, Hyderabad, have been made respondents in the petition.

Amir Hani Muslim, appearing for the petitioner, earlier submitted that his client was declared failed in the annual examination by the Board. On a representation and application for re-evaluation/re-tabulation, she was declared successful with an aggregate 60 per cent marks.

During this time, the procedure for admission to medical colleges had been completed and she was deprived of admission.

The petitioner’s counsel submitted that this year she applied again and also appeared at the entrance test. But admission was denied to her as the government introduced a new rule under which 10 marks were to be deducted if a candidate cleared an examination after repeating it or if he/she passed the examination in the previous year.

The counsel for the petitioner, relying on a judgment by a division bench of the Sindh High Court in 1994, submitted that according to the cited judgment, it had been held that a candidate or student could not be punished for the fault of others/authorities.

When the court asked Assistant Advocate-General Sindh Suleman Habibullah about the grievance of the petitioner, he opposed the petition on technical grounds.

The court took strong exception to the stand taken by the AAG, and observed that “it is the duty of the court and the law officer to resolve the matter, not to further complicate the same.”

“It appears that the Sindh government has appointed a bunch of inefficient persons and people have to suffer on account of their incompetence,” the court observed.

When the AAG opposed the petition for being barred by time, the court expressed surprise, and said even a class fifth student might carry out correct totalling and better than the board employees.

The court then admitted the petition for regular hearing and put off further hearing till Jan 8 while directing the counsel and the AAG to come prepared for arguing out the matter. The court also issued notices to the respondents for the same date.

The same bench also adjourned the hearing of a constitutional petition filed by a widow against disconnection of electric supply.

Barrister Kausar Amin, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the KESC first demanded Rs58,500 from her and later disconnected the supply.

The counsel contended that the widow ran a small tailoring shop and the demand by the KESC was unjustified as their estimate of load had been exaggerated.—APP