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       KARACHI: Although the fact-finding committee tasked with investigating the first year exam results of the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) completed its work and submitted its report around a month ago, no progress has been made so far in implementing its recommendations and updating the results, with the second-year exams fast approaching next month.

       On Jan 13, the Sindh Assembly had formed a parliamentary committee to investigate the controversial results of the intermediate board in Karachi.

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       The committee, headed by its convener Dr Sarosh Lodi, had submitted a sealed report to the education authorities.

       Official sources said that it recommended that grace marks ranging from 15 to 20 per cent be awarded to students who failed the exams.

       Government, opposition admit delay in taking up report submitted by fact-finding committee

       Additionally, it suggested revisiting the results of other educational boards in Sindh, particularly where pass rates exceeded certain thresholds.

       When contacted, Dr Lodi told Dawn that the committee had completed its work and it was now up to the government to take further action. “It’s the government work. The authorities will do it when they think it’s important,” he said.

       Responding to questions, a spokesperson for Sindh Education Minister Sardar Ali Shah acknowledged that there had been delays due to certain issues that kept the minister occupied. He explained that the committee’s report had not been opened due to that reason and because a session needed to be called for discussing the matter in presence of all committee members.

       With the second-year exams scheduled next month, the uncertainty surrounding the results and the fate of updated/ grace marks has left many students in a state of confusion as to which exams they’re going to retake this time.

       It is pertinent to mention here that approximately 67 per cent of first year (science) students had failed in the 2024 exams, conducted by the BIEK, in one or more subjects, resulting in widespread public outcry and protests by students and opposition parties.

       Following that, the BIEK had formed an inquiry committee to probe the matter. However, after objections from the opposition, the provincial government had issued a notification to form a House committee to investigate the poor results.

       However, the non-seriousness of the officials concerned, including the education department, can be gauged from the fact that no session is being called in this regard and the issue has been put on the backburner.

       When contacted in this regard, Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Ali Khurshidi of MQM-P told Dawn that the government does not seem in a “mood” to do better for the students of Karachi.

       “Again there comes that ethnic issue. I have raised this issue many times on the floor in Sindh Assembly and even with the education minister. I phoned him to say let’s call a session and get done with this issue. But the government is not in a mood. They’re putting the future of Karachi’s students at risk,” Mr Khurshidi said.

       He said the officials concerned would address this matter when it’s too late and when the purpose of such an inquiry is dead, adding that they [the authorities] are not willing to provide relief to students in the city.

       Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2025