KARACHI: Inadequate security on first day of HSC exams
By Mukhtar Alam
KARACHI, May 17: Reports about inadequate security arrangements at some examination centres, including the sensitive ones, were received on the first day of Intermediate annual examinations on Tuesday. However, Board of Intermediate Education officials maintained that examinations were conducted smoothly in a peaceful atmosphere. No significant cases of unfair means were reported from any centre, said the controller of examination, Prof Mohammad Amin Khalid, who, along with District Education Officer Prof Mohammad Asghar Khan paid visits to a few examination centres.
Sources in the board and teaching circles said that deployment of police at some of the centres was not witnessed on the first day. Police were not available during the early hours of examination at, among others centres, Quaid-i-Millat College, Liaquatabad and Superior College, Shah Faisal Colony.
The board had also declared 20 of its examination centres as sensitive, seeking extra deployment of law enforcing agencies, in order to avert outside interference, but senior teachers said that Rangers were not seen deployed.
In view of the reports from centres and reservations of invigilators, BIEK officials have written letters afresh to police high-ups and Rangers for a visible support from them in regard to a peaceful and fool-proof conduct of examinations.
It was further learnt that in view of the last year’s bad experiences, a number of teachers did not volunteered for examination duty at Buffer Zone College on Tuesday. Security arrangement was not found up to mark also at the Islamia Arts and Commerce College, which is considered as sensitive premises for all season.
A BIEK press release said that the controller of examinations visited Government Islamia Arts and Commerce College, Government Islamia Science College and Government Adamjee College and found the conduct of examinations quite and peaceful. No untoward incident was reported.
An elder family member of a candidate who took commerce paper at Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, said that students were not provided with supplementary copies (B-copies) in the first two hours and majority of those needing the copies had to sit idle for a considerable period of time. The staff, after receiving the copies from the board supplied the B-copies at around 4 pm, but no extra time was given to the candidates having lost precious time, he claimed.
Short supply of question paper was also reported from a couple of colleges, including Adamjee Science College, said a teacher.
A BIE official said that the DCO Karachi had nominated Zahid Hussain to coordinate with the examination staff in case of emergency and law and order situation.
Mr Zahid will sit at the Old Commissioner Office during the conduct of examinations and he may be contacted at 9205631, O300-4248667 by centre superintendents, if needed, added the official.
A control room has also been established at the office of DIG Operations to monitor the law and order situation at the examination centres.
