RAWALPINDI: Due to an alleged computer mistake, over 80 per cent students of the fifth grade have been declared unsuccessful in the English language examination, conducted by the Punjab Examination Commission (PEC).

Around 150 students are still waiting for their ‘missing’ results, which were official declared on March 31, depriving them of admission in sixth grade.

The teachers of Rawalpindi district have termed this as a ‘mistake’ of PEC.

They claimed that the English paper was held on February 10 in Rawalpindi district.

The answers of the exam could not be inserted in the computer for marking; as a result, more than 80 per cent students were declared fail.

According the teachers, on February 9, the original question paper was leaked. In response, PEC had to replace it with a new one, but the answers of the new paper could not be inserted 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.

“The teachers have decided to stage a protest demonstration on April 12 against PEC for issuing faulty results,” said Raja Shahid Mubarik, president Punjab teachers’ Union Rawalpindi. He said more than 2,000 teachers will participate in the protest.

The executive district officer (EDO) education, Qazi Zahoorul Haq, while talking to Dawn, said: “I have failed to understand how more than 80 per cent students could fail the English paper. I have no idea whether it was a mistake of the computer or not, but one thing is clear, that there was something wrong.”

This year, the pass percentage remained 14 per cent in the district.

Last year, it was 41 per cent. The EDO said hundreds of students have applied for rechecking.

To a query, regarding the missing results, he said the PEC assured him of issuing all missing results, last week, but nothing has happened so far.

Waqar Qureshi, a teacher, said the PEC failed 80 per cent students in English, but passed dozens of students who did not even appear in the examinations.

In many cities, like Lahore, Attock and Vehari, the teachers and students have been protesting against the ‘bogus’ result.

Many attempts were made to contact the operation manager of PEC, Afsha Zafar, to get an official version but in vain.