ON the directives of the Sindh governor, the Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) arranged a ‘mock test’ for 139,000 Class IX science group students. It was conducted at 170 examination centres across the city on March 25. It was also announced that students who would appear in the mock test would get extra five marks in the examinations.

The decision to hold the mock test was taken to rehearse for actual examinations starting on April 18 and to know whether the changes made by the board of examinations by curtailing the total number of examination centres from 430 to just 170 would be feasible.

According to the BSEK, the number of examination centres across the city had to be reduced to curb cheating which has flourished with the patronage of some controversial blacklisted examination centres.

Being an invigilator for that mock test, I experienced that this sort of policy was not only going to prove ineffective but also discouraging for bright students as it would provide students an easy way to cheat given the fact that two students were allowed to sit on the same bench during the examination.

It is incomprehensible as to why this decision was taken by the BSEK to reduce the number of examination centres while allowing two candidates to sit together on the same bench during examinations.

It is also surprising to know that unlike previous years, there has been more than 50 per cent increase in the number of students in one examination room but the number of invigilators to be deputed is the same as it was last year.

This growth in the number of students has also increased the paperwork for invigilators who will remain busy with this activity most of time and may not be able to keep an eye on candidates.

Some major government and private non-controversial and reputed schools of all the 18 towns of the metropolis have been selected as examination centres with the hope to control rampant cheating, and make the board examinations transparent.

But policymakers forgot to take into consideration the other aspects related to the proper management and arrangements.

This mock test should serve as an eye-opener to the board officials as the examinations held this way will only mock the needs of bright students.

TAIMOOR KHAN Karachi