GUJRANWALA, May 25: At least 125,000 candidates (both boys and girls) are appearing for the intermediate part I and II annual examinations in 2006.The examination commenced on Thursday.

For this purpose, some 223 examination centres have been set up in the Gujranwala division.

This was stated by the Gujranwala Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education chairman, Masudul Haq while speaking at a news conference in his office.

He pointed out that 76,147 girls and 48,504 boys were taking the intermediate examination. Among them, 11,870 girls and 8,862 boys are from the Gujranwala district.

Overall 39,856 girls and 22,614 boys were appearing for the part-I and 36,291 girls and 25,890 boys in the part-II examination, he said.

The board chairman said he paid surprise visits to at least nine examination centres in Wazirabad, Gakkhar town and Rahwali where the candidates were taking their papers in peaceful atmosphere.