KARACHI: 2pc grace marks to failures allowed: SSC, HSC students to benefit
By Mukhtar Alam
KARACHI, July 4: The boards of education in Sindh, in an unprecedented move, have decided to award two per cent grace marks to the failures of certain batches of matriculation and intermediate examinations.
The exemption has been granted with retrospective effect.
The provision of awarding grace marks was done away in 1998 on the directives of the then Sindh governor. It would now be effective in the case of only those who failed to clear their annual or supplementary SSC or HSC examinations between 1999 and 2002.
The idea of awarding two per cent grace marks has been approved by the controlling authority of the educational boards, and would be applicable to the failures whose examinations were conducted between 1999 and 2002.
It will, however, not be applicable to those taking examinations in 2003 or afterwards.
According to a BIE Karachi notification, under the fresh provisions, a failed candidate could be awarded a maximum of 22 marks even in one paper for declaring him successful.
The Board of Intermediate Education Karachi did not allow any grace marks to candidates appearing in their examinations in the year 1999, but for 2000 and afterwards, it was decided that the board would award only one mark in one paper, enabling the candidates to get an easy sailing.
If any of the candidate sought one per cent marks in one paper or more than one paper to clear the examination, he was granted the same by the board, said an official of the board.
However, the board used to split the one per cent marks in different papers, but never resorted to award more than one per cent marks in any paper.
Sources claimed that about a dozen cases were received at different educational boards from higher authorities for consideration and to find a way out for the students, in question, who had already exhausted their sanctioned number of attempts to clear the examinations.
They said the permission to award two per cent grace marks on the gross was uncalled for and undermined the system of exams.
If one fails to appear and clear his or her examination under the rules that existed in one particular session or a particular year, it is highly unfair that he or she be declared successful at some later stage, said a senior college teacher.
It was further stated that grant of two per cent marks was never practised by other educational boards of the country.
In Punjab, only one per cent grace marks are awarded, said another teacher.
The parents of those students, who could not clear their examinations within the stipulated period, said that after two regular years of examinations and additional chances, the students seeking very nominal marks be declared successful to save their years of study.
A BIEK notification said “in pursuance of an emergency meeting of the committee of the chairmen of educational boards in Sindh, held on May 19, two per cent grace marks will be awarded to the failures, from HSC annual or supplementary examinations-1999 to HSC annual or supplementary examinations-2002.
The decision was approved by the governor, and was adopted by the BIE Karachi.
The conditions are as follows:
A candidate will be awarded only the exact grace marks that are required and not the 22 marks altogether; a separate tabulation register will be prepared for such candidates and their numbers would be carried over in the new register from the old one while their result would be declared in the year they appeared last; this is only a one-time facility; a fee of Rs200 will be charged for each revised marks-sheets to meet out the expenses of new tabulation register and other expenses; candidates are required to apply to avail of this facility and they would have to submit the prescribed pro forma duly filled in as per instructions given in the pro forma and checked by the concerned section of the board.
