Following directives from Sindh Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar, the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) has announced that students of Pre-Engineering, Pre-Medical, and General Science Part-I will receive additional marks of up to 15% in their exams.
The decision comes in response to concerns raised by a fact-finding committee, which was tasked with investigating the unusually low marks received by Intermediate Part-I students this year. Acting upon the committee’s recommendations, the caretaker CM approved the initiative.
In light of the committee’s findings, it was decided that students of pre-engineering, pre-medical, and general science streams would benefit from a 15% increase in marks. Additionally, the committee recommended the establishment of paper patterns and marking schemes at the outset of the academic year, with plans to implement these patterns for a three-year period.
Furthermore, the Sindh CM directed the expansion of paper inspection centers to 10 in Karachi and emphasized the utilization of an optical marks recognition system to prevent errors in checking multiple-choice question papers.
CM Baqar also stressed the importance of training for examination staff, including head examiners, examiners, and invigilators, while enforcing strict adherence to BIEK’s rules and regulations.
Highlighting accountability measures, the CM emphasized that the controller of examinations, deputy controllers, and IT manager are responsible for conducting examinations in 2023. He also instructed the issuance of notices to board officers who fail to comply with regulations.
Earlier, on January 23, BIEK released the results for Part-I of the examination, revealing a notable decline in student performance. This decline raised concerns as a significant percentage of candidates failed across various subject groups, impacting their prospects for admission to professional universities and colleges, where Inter Part-I marks are typically considered for admission.