A new digital initiative designed to modernize the examination process in Punjab has instead plunged it into chaos, leaving thousands of teachers stranded and unable to work. The electronic marking (e-marking) system, recently launched by the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Lahore, has been hit by severe technical failures, preventing examiners from accessing and grading answer sheets.
System Collapse Halts Grading Process
The ambitious e-marking system was intended to streamline the evaluation of Intermediate Part-II answer scripts. However, shortly after its launch, the platform began experiencing crippling issues. Teachers and examiners reported being completely locked out of the system, unable to log in or download the answer sheets assigned to them for marking.
This technical breakdown has effectively brought the entire grading process to a standstill. With examiners unable to perform their duties, the timely declaration of results for the Intermediate Part-II annual examinations is now under serious threat. The situation has caused widespread frustration and anxiety among the teaching staff who were mobilized for this critical task.
Official Response and Acknowledgment
In response to the growing crisis, the Controller of Examinations at BISE Lahore issued an official notification acknowledging the problem. The notification, dated May 27, explicitly stated that the e-marking portal is currently facing technical difficulties and is not functioning properly.
The board's administration has advised all concerned examiners to temporarily halt their work on the system until the issues are fully resolved. Officials have assured the teaching staff that they are working urgently to fix the glitches and that a new schedule for the marking work will be announced once the platform is stable. This incident raises significant questions about the preparedness and testing of the new digital infrastructure before its rollout.
Broader Implications for Educational Reforms
This failure of the e-marking system is more than a temporary technical hiccup; it represents a significant setback for digital transformation efforts within Pakistan's education sector. The incident highlights the risks associated with implementing large-scale technological reforms without robust backup plans and thorough stress testing.
The immediate consequence is a direct delay in the examination results, which impacts hundreds of thousands of students awaiting their outcomes for future academic and career steps. Furthermore, it undermines the confidence of educators in such digital initiatives. For a successful transition to e-governance in education, reliable technology and comprehensive training for all users are non-negotiable prerequisites that appear to have been overlooked in this instance.
The authorities at BISE Lahore now face the dual challenge of rectifying the technical faults with utmost urgency and restoring the trust of the teaching community. The resolution of this issue will be closely watched as a test case for future digital implementations across other educational boards in the country.
