RAWALPINDI: The Punjab Examination Commission (PEC) on Friday issued revised results of primary examination, declaring thousands of students passed.

They were earlier declared fail due to negligence on part of the PEC officers.

According to the results announced on March 31, only 14 per cent students could clear the examination. After the mistake was rectified, 46 per cent candidates stood pass.

Talking to Dawn, Executive District Officer (EDO) Rawalpindi Qazi Zahoorul Haq confirmed the result and said: “Today, PEC after admitting its blunder issued revised results, according to which pass percentage of Rawalpindi district is 46.”

When asked whether Punjab government has announced any punishment for the guilty officers, the EDO said: “Since PEC office is in Lahore so I’m not aware of any such development.”

It is relevant to note here that this year a total of 40,676 students appeared in primary examination.

More than 80 per cent of them, due to computer error, were declared fail in English paper. Since answers of the paper held on February 10 could not be fed in the computer for marking, more than 80 per cent students were declared fail.

On February 9, the original question paper was leaked forcing the PEC to replace it with a new one, but the answers of the new paper could not be fed in the system for marking.

As a result, the computers marked the object answer sheets according to the old data, failing more than 80 per cent students.

Due to failure of such a huge number of students in English language paper the pass percentage remained 14.

However, it has been revised now as 46 percent.

Meanwhile, around 150 students are still waiting for their results. However, EDO said that PEC assured him that it will issue the results in next couple of days.

After the revised results, Punjab Teachers Union called off protest scheduled for Saturday. “We, however, demand exemplary punishment for officers concerned of the PEC,” said Azmat Israil, an officer bearer of the union.

Many attempts were made to contact the operation manager of PEC, Afsha Zafar to get an official version but as usual she didn’t respond.