Karachi Board Delays Matric Results Due to Surge in Top Grades
The Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) has postponed the announcement of the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) Part-II (Matric Science) examination results for two days. This decision follows a special verification exercise initiated to scrutinize an unusually high number of A-1 and A grades recorded this year.
Preliminary data indicated that the count of top-grade achievers significantly exceeded last year's figures, compelling the board to re-verify the compiled results before their official release. Acting BSEK Chairman Masharraf Rajput informed The Express Tribune that approximately 86,000 candidates secured A-1 and A grades out of nearly 175,000 students who appeared in the examinations.
Experienced Teachers Conduct Verification
The verification process is not being handled by the board's regular staff but by experienced and reputable teachers. These educators are matching the compiled results with manual award sheets and, where necessary, cross-checking them against the original answer scripts of students awarded A-1 and A grades.
This meticulous approach aims to ensure the integrity of the results before their official announcement.
Concerns Over Cheating During Examinations
The unusually high proportion of top grades has also raised speculation that widespread cheating during the examinations may have contributed to the increase. During the examination period, several centers were shifted repeatedly, while complaints of large-scale use of unfair means were widely reported.
The government had ordered an inquiry into the conduct of the examinations. However, before the inquiry report could be made public, the then chairman of the Matric Board resigned.
