LAHORE, July 27: Candidates appearing for MA Urdu part-I paper ‘Iqbal Ka Khasoosi Mutalia’ on Friday had to attempt ‘out-of-course’ questions, Dawn has learnt. Candidates said when they protested against the questions, they were snubbed by invigilators and told to attempt it or leave the examination hall.

Talking to Dawn, regular and private candidates said four questions were out of their prescribed course.

A teacher from the Government Islamia College for Women, Cooper Road, said the Punjab University (PU) had changed the syllabus this year and had notified but the question-paper held questions from the old course.

She said that she had learnt that a large number of private candidates also could not attempt the paper based on old course.

The teacher said a complaint on behalf of the candidates would be submitted with the office of the controller of examinations.

Deputy controller of examinations Jalil Tariq said no candidate had boycotted the paper but candidates had protested that the paper was out-of-course.

Controller of examinations Prof Taqi Zahid Butt said he would “sympathetically” consider the case and if the complaint was found genuine and the Board of Studies (BoS) took up the complaint in stipulated time, the university would arrange re-examination.

DEVELOPMENT JOURNALISM: The PU on Friday conducted the supplementary examination of MA mass communication (Development Journalism) for 29 candidates who failed.

The candidates were protesting against the results, claiming that the paper was out-of-course and they had informed the controller of examinations. They said the controller had assured them of lenient marking and grace marks.

Later, they were denied grace marks. They gave a presentation to the Punjab governor and filed a writ petition with the Lahore High Court to seek implementation of the BoS’ decision. The court has issued notices to the PU vice-chancellor, controller of examinations and BoS chairman for August 3.

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