ALL examinations in the country were postponed amidst fears of an increase in the number of coronavirus cases.

Federal and provincial education authorities announced that students would be promoted to the next classes against specific criteria. While this is an appreciable move, it does not cater to the interests of a small segment of students whose careers stand in jeopardy owing to no fault of theirs.

Students who passed the intermediate exam in 2019 but did not achieve outstanding results applied to their respective boards for reappearing in the exams to improve their percentage with a view to securing admission to professional colleges or a good university. These students face a bleak future as their interests have been ignored. Meanwhile many professional colleges and universities have announced their admission policy. The admissions are to be conducted in July and August.

I am also a student who has wasted a year for improving marks. Now that the exams have been postponed, thousands of students like me have no chance of getting admission to professional colleges or universities of repute.

This is an appeal to the education authorities, the universities and the educational institutions to initiate measures that secure the future of such students, so that another year of theirs is not wasted and they get enrolled in professional colleges and universities.

Dilshad Baluch Sajidi
Awaran, Balochistan

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2020