RECENTLY, the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) took a step in the right direction by introducing coding machines to check the multiple choice questions (MCQs).

Interestingly, these machines are so fast that they are capable of checking 100 papers every minute. However, in every intermediate board paper anywhere in the whole country, students write lengthy and irrelevant answers in order to impress the examiners and hoping to get good marks.

To get rid of this practice, this year’s examinations of BIEK were based on three components: 40 per cent MCQs, 40pc short answers, and 20pc long answers. Moreover, this initiative will definitely force the students to write relevant answers to each question they attempt.

The coding machines will reduce the teachers’ burden and papers will be checked properly. Those who write frivolously will work hard and be focussed on writing to-the-point answers. In this way, they will use their minds and critical thinking skills to answer each question rather than focussing on increasing the length of the answer.

Besides, the machines will reduce the human link and that will satisfy the students who often believe that the answer sheets are not been checked properly, and marks are given on the basis of good handwriting and paper-attempting skills instead of relevant answers.

Sadly, the students are not wrong in having such thoughts, because the examiners tend to give marks to students writing lengthy and irrelevant answers because they assume that those writing lengthy answers must be knowing more than those who write short but precise answers.

Sometimes, this results in injustice to hardworking students who burn the midnight oil to score well in examinations, but end up scoring similar to those who do not even open their books and write irrelevant answers.

But, now, after the introduction of the coding machines, it will make the students focus on answering the questions correctly and relevantly.

Lastly, all the intermediate boards across the country should follow the BIEK. Such steps will do justice to meritorious students.

Ahsanullah Mengal
Hub

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2022