KARACHI, Jan 29: Sindh Education Minister Dr Hamida Khuhro on Saturday allowed secondary and intermediate boards to take one more month for assessment of papers and announcement of results instead of previous schedule finalized by the education department.

The minister gave this assurance to chairmen of all educational boards in Sindh at her office after the chairmen committee had opposed the revised schedule of exams.

The meeting, however, endorsed the schedule of commencement of primary, secondary, matriculation and intermediate exams and supported the decision of starting new academic session in the province from August instead of April.

The chairmen of secondary boards argued that the time given for assessment of exam papers and declaring results was "quite insufficient" as they were asked to hold exams from April 5 and announce the results by May 30.

On the request of chairmen committee, the meeting decided to give one more month for announcement of results and it was decided that Class 10th General Group results would now be announced on July 15 and of Science Group on July 31.

Similarly, the intermediate boards were also given additional 30 days for assessment of papers and announcement of results. The intermediate boards would announce the results by Aug 31.

The meeting upheld the decision regarding commencement of Class I to VIII exams from May 10 and announcement of their results by June 30.

The education minister directed the officials concerned to make arrangements for promotion of students of Class I to III by taking oral exams.

The meeting also discussed start of teaching process at intermediate and degree colleges from September. In this regard, a proposal to grant admissions to students at colleges prior to announcement of their results also came under the discussion.

It was decided that the Centralized Admission Policy under which admissions in intermediate colleges were granted would be reviewed and its shortcomings would be removed.

Some participants were of the view that there were around 15 reputed colleges in Karachi, which were among the top priorities of every student and called for making a separate admission policy for these colleges.-PPI