KARACHI, May 18: The vigilance teams installed by the Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi, appear to have failed in creating an impact on candidates resorting to using unfair means in the HSC annual examinations, said sources in the educational circle. The exams, which commenced on May 17 in the city, are being conducted at about 190 centres in two shifts. About 70-75 thousand regular and private candidates are appearing in the exams daily.
While the daily number of invigilators deployed at the centres is estimated to be around 4,000. However, the catch of candidates using unfair means has remained almost zero.
A BIE official said no cases of unfair means had so far been reported to the board, which gave to understand that exams were being held in a foolproof manner.
On the other hand, sources privy to the exam process gave to understand that all was not well.
Majority of the invigilators, including those engaged from schools or belonging to the non-teaching cadre hardly get the courage to intercept the use of cheating means, said a senior teacher.
He added that the vigilance system introduced some years back was also not proving efficient due to inclusion of junior or politically-motivated teachers in the vigilance teams constituted by the board.
This year over 100 vigilance teams, of two teachers each, have been appointed by the board to monitor the conduct of exams to ensure transparency. They are likely to be paid an amount of Rs600 against this time, as a 100 per cent increase in exam remuneration was on the cards.
However, a source claimed that sometimes the vigilance team, despite all smartness returned empty handed, as the system of informing the ‘unfair’ candidates prior to the entry of the invigilators was so effective that nothing could be worked out.
Many of the teams were still to take the vigilance duty seriously, said another source.
A source confided that in view of the dilution in the vigilance system due to political consideration and groupings among college teachers, at one stage, the chairman of the board was also suggested to do away with the system.
When contacted, the BIE chairman, Prof Iftikhar H Zaidi, said he had issued a clear instruction that only those, who were senior and persons of integrity, and recommended by the respective college principals be engaged for vigilance.
He said he himself had been visiting centres.
He personally felt that the overall conduct of the exams was well up to mark in all respects, and the use of unfair-means had decreased, as the supply line for incriminating material from outside had been checked this time.
Independent sources, however, cited names of some colleges in North Nazimabad, Nazimabad, Federal B Area, Liaquatabad, North Karachi, Malir, Korangi, and Saddar areas where organized groups were managing to have their say and get things done as per their wishes.
A BIE press release said the Controller of Examinations, Prof Mohammad Amin Khalid, and District Officer Education (Colleges), Prof Mohammad Asghar Khan, paid visits to the Quaid-i-Millat College, Qasimabad, and Riaz Girls College, Liaquatabad, and found the conduct of exams peaceful and calm.