RAWALPINDI: As many as 435 examiners were punished for wrong marking in the first annual SSC exam 2024, which forced students to contact the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Rawalpindi for rechecking of papers.

During rechecking, the BISE Rawalpindi found mistakes committed by paper checkers, especially in counting of total marks.

As many as nine secrecy branch officials, 66 head examiners, 210 sub examiners, 119 assistant to head examiners, 22 special checkers, eight representatives of BISE and one data entry operator were given warnings, their salaries deducted and disqualified from all duties of the board from one to three years depending on the nature of the mistake.

According to BISE spokesman Arslan Cheema, to ensure transparency and merit of paper marking in the matric first annual 2024 examination, BISE Rawalpindi Chairman Mohammad Adnan Khan ordered an inquiry against the marking staff on the recommendation of Controller Examinations Tanveer Asghar Awan.

Punishments include salary deduction, disqualification from carrying out board duties

“A total of 435 people faced strict disciplinary action after their incompetence and negligence were proven. The board chairman, Mohammad Adnan Khan, and Controller Examinations Tanveer Asghar Awan said negligence and incompetence in the marking of papers would not be tolerated under any circumstances,” Mr Cheema said.

He said candidates appearing for the matric first annual 2024 examination highlighted the negligence and incompetence of the marking staff in the re-checking of papers and pointed them out in written applications.

Controller of Examinations Tanveer Asghar Awan immediately formed an inquiry committee against them on the written complaint of the students.

The board chairman, Mohammad Adnan Khan, took immediate notice and ordered strict disciplinary action against 435 marking staff including BISE officials, head examiners, sub examiners, assistant to head examiners, special super checker, representative board, data entry operator from the marking centre and directed that the report be submitted to the chairman office after thorough investigation.

He said the five-member committee headed by the chief secrecy officer matric submitted its report to the controller examinations.

The board chairman agreed with the report sent by the controller examinations and directed that the punishments recommended by the inquiry committee against them be immediately enforced.

He further said that merit and transparency will be maintained in the marking of papers.

Controller Examinations Tanveer Asghar Awan recommended disciplinary action on the written complaints of the students and got the inquiry completed and punishments imposed.

“The rights of the students will not be violated in any way and all possible facilities will be provided to them. In order to improve the quality of marking, teams consisting of teachers of different subjects will be formed during the marking process, through which the quality of marking will be checked at any time and the head examiner, sub-examiner, assistant to the head examiner, special superintendent or any person involved who does not meet the standards will be held accountable,” he said.

Meanwhile, Employees Welfare Association Rawalpindi Education Board has expressed resentment over the suspension of the Punjab Teachers Union President Qazi Imran.

President of the Employees Welfare Association Rawalpindi Education Board Raja Usman Shahzad said Qazi Mohammad Imran was suspended for raising his voice for the rights of all teachers and employees of Rawalpindi district and Punjab, which we strongly condemn.

The association demands immediate withdrawal of this suspension order and pledged that they stand by the Punjab Teachers Union and employees at every forum.

It stated that the government and administration could never suppress the voice of employees with such low tactics.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024