The top three positions in the humanities regular group examinations were secured by female students, all from St Joseph’s Govt College for Women. The overall result of the college remained 84.48 per cent, which is 11.87 less then that of Govt Inter Girls College, Block M, North Nazimabad, which gained the maximum percentage in the examinations, as per statistics provided by the BIE.
In the commerce group examinations, boys superseded the female candidates and managed to secure four out of the six top positions in the consolidated merit list of examinations. Ida Rieu students once again prove their mettle and clinched two of the top three positions in the merit list of humanities group examinations pertaining to special candidates (deaf and blind).
In all, 14,417 candidates — including 12,885 females — appeared in HSC (Part-II) humanities regular examinations, out of which, 6,448, including 6,083 females, were declared to have passed. None of the candidates could secure A-1 grade, while the overall pass percentage remained 44.72, which is 2.56 per cent higher than that of last year.
Nausheen Arif, roll no 135263, clinched first position in the humanities examinations by securing 877 marks out of 1,100. Romila, roll no 135272, and Mariam Anis, roll no 135366, bagged second and third positions respectively with 854 and 852 marks.
In all, 132 male and female colleges and higher secondary schools sent their students for the examinations, out of which 36 managed to get a pass percentage of 50 and above. There were 11 colleges and schools, both in the government and private sectors, which failed to see any of their students as successful in the exams.
The gender-wise breakdown of successful students is as follows: Male; A-1 and A grade — nil, B grade — six, C grade — 119, D grade — 202 and E grade — 38.
Female; A-1 grade — nil, A grade — 67, B grade — 820, C grade — 2,795, D grade — 2,255 and E grade — 146.
Results of 47 candidates were withheld, as they allegedly resorted to unfair means.
COMMERCE (PRIVATE): The overall pass percentage in the commerce group examination remained as 27.16, which is 2.66 per cent less that of last year. However, there is an increase of 41.44 per cent in the number of candidates taking the examinations this year.
In all, 4,845 candidates appeared in the examinations, out of which 1,316 were declared to have passed. None of the candidates could secure the A-1 grade, while the number of candidates securing A grade came as four.
Mohammad Issa, roll no 223595, secured first position in the merit list by securing 783 out of 1,100 marks. Second and third positions went to Sarah Abdul Hameed, roll no 223449, and Babar Aslam Chattah, roll no 221455, respectively, who secured 777 and 775 marks in the exams.
The breakdown of successful candidates is as follows: Male; A-1 grade — nil, A grade — three, B grade — 38, C grade — 356, D grade — 534 and E grade — 64.
Female; A-1 — nil, A grade — one, B grade — 38, C grade — 159, D grade — 114 and E grade — nine.
HUMANITIES (SPECIAL): The special children performed well in the exams, as their pass percentage remained 91.25. Of the 80 deaf and blind students who appeared in the examinations, 73 were declared to have passed.
Kanwal Virani, roll no 140572, of the Ida Rieu College for the Deaf and Blind, clinched first position by securing 1,014 out of 1,100 marks. Second position was bagged by a student of DEWA Higher Secondary School, Aliya Khanum, roll no 140602, while Faiza Aslam of Ida Rieu College, roll no 140571, secured third position.
In all, 22 candidates were placed in A-1 grade, while 29 in A grade, 28 in B grade and four in C grade. The over all pass percentage of male students was 92.98, while in the case of female students, the percentage was 86.96.
The position holders of the three examinations in question were introduced to the press at Karachi Press Club on Thursday. They were also handed over the mark-sheets of examinations issued by the BIE.
The Controller of Examinations, Prof Amjad Ali Syed, and Secretary of the Board, Prof Abdul Zaheer Paras, informed newsmen on the occasion that the question paper pattern for first year classes of the science faculty were being changed for the 2003 annual examinations. The paper would be divided into three parts — objective, short and descriptive.
They maintained that the board was taking every measures to bring the examinations and process of education at affiliated colleges and higher secondary schools in line with modern day requirements. They claimed that the quality of examinations had improved considerably, while chances of cheating had also been reduced now.
The student who secured first position in the humanities (regular) examinations, Nausheen Arif, said that government should ensure equal opportunities to every citizen with respect to education. Any large increase in fees at government institutions would badly deprive people of the lower and middle income groups of higher education, she feared.
Romila, the second position holder in the same group, said that courses seemed to be obsolete, while the English paper demanded too much labour from students.
Mariam Anis, the third position holder, said that Humanities group students were closer to social and human problems, she maintained, and opined that social science students could play a role in addressing day to day problems of the people, like that of the science and commerce group students.
Aliya Khanum, who secured second position in the special candidates group, is married and wanted to continue her education, as she was interested in teaching and painting. She observed that it was the willingness to excel on the part of special students that normal people extended support and guidance to them.
Faiza Aslam of the Ida Rieu College, who secured third position, said that she wanted to continue her education in the fields of computers and fine arts. The principal of Ida Rieu, Qudsia Khan, was also present on the occasion.
Mohammad Issa, who secured first position in the commerce exam, said that he passed his matriculation examinations in science group with C grade, while residing at Sikandarabad, Gilgit, but he had to come to Karachi only for commerce education, since there were no facilities in his native area in this regard.
Sarah Hameed, who secured second position, said that courses in commerce at the intermediate level were lengthy and needed to be brought in line with modern day needs.
Babar Aslam, the third position holder, said that education made a student perfect and fit to serve the country befittingly. He wanted to take further education in MBA or CA.