ISLAMABAD: In a major policy decision aiming to make practical exams for matric and intermediate students effective, the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) has decided to abolish the practical notebooks and viva voce in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) examination.

The new policy will come into effect next year. It may be noted that the matric exam will be held in April and the HSSC (intermediate) exams will be held in May 2024. Instead of practical notebooks and viva voce, the students will have to sit in a practical-based assessment exam.

According to a notification issued by FIBSE on November 13, “The existing pattern of practical [exams] will continue for a transitional period of 2024 examinations with certain amendments i.e. instead of notebooks and viva voce, there will be structured questions.”

“Practical examination will be set from the provided list of practical(s). There will be no marks for practical notebook(s) and viva voce. The marks…have been allocated to structured questions which will be answered on the provided answer sheets,” read the notification. It said that a model question paper was being made available on the board’s website.

When contacted, FBISE Chairman Qaiser Alam said that there were complaints regarding practical examinations. According to some reports, many students procured solved practical notebooks from markets, he said, adding that grading in practical exams was solely the discretion of the examiner instead of the board.

Board says new policy to come into effect next year

“Now, instead of notebooks and viva voce marks, the students will have to pass…practical-based assessment [exam]. From upcoming matric and intermediate exams, we are introducing this new policy,” he said and added that schools and colleges at their level would ask students to make practical books as without doing proper practical work, they would not pass the exams.

The FBISE head said the federal board also got endorsement from the Inter-Board Coordination Commission (IBCC). The IBCC is an umbrella organisation of all boards of the country and a couple of months ago it also passed a resolution, urging the boards to make their practical exams system effective.

Speaking to Dawn, Executive Director IBCC Dr Ghulam Ali Mallah said that the IBCC had been working to make the practical exams effective for the last two years. “Recently, we passed a resolution in this regard,” he said and appreciated the FBISE for the change in its policy. He added that the Aga Khan Board had also introduced a “very good new system for practical exams”. “Hopefully, other boards will also take steps to make their practical exams more effective,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2023