RECENTLY, the results of Intermediate Part-I were announced in Punjab, exposing a severe lack of transparency and raising serious concerns about the credibility of the checking process, particularly with respect to the Dera Ghazi Khan board.

The board experienced the worst overall pass percentage, with only approximately 65 per cent of candidates passing the examination. It is baffling to see such extreme variations in student performance across different series. How is it possible that one group of 50 students shows such poor results in English, Chemistry and Biology, while another group excels with seriously high marks? It is hard to fathom that not a single student in one series is proficient in these subjects, while every student in another series excels.

We must question whether it is mere ‘luck’, or if there is something more to it. It is unjust to think that the students who were otherwise top performers would suddenly fall to the lowest ranks of their academic career.

There must be a deeper explanation for these discrepancies, and we owe it to our students to investigate and address these issues.

Urgent government intervention is required to form a committee to thoroughly investigate and address the credibility of these examinations, and implement essential reforms in the education sector. Furthermore, raising marks from 1,100 to 1,200 and implementing a single national curriculum would not work.

Aysha Rehman
Kot Addu

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2024