KARACHI, May 14: Vigilance teams of the Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi, detected 47 cases of unfair means on the first day of the second year annual exams that started on Wednesday.

The Higher Secondary School Certificate (Part-II) annual examination-2008 for Science (pre-medical, pre-engineering), General Science (computer) and Home Economics groups are being conducted simultaneously at 89 examination centres across the city. The board has set up 46 monitoring teams for the exams.

All those candidates who were caught red-handed while copying in their English paper were sent out from their examination centres and cases of unfair means were registered against them, a spokesman for the BIEK said.

Although most of photocopiers in the vicinity of exam centres remained closed during the examination timing (i.e. from 9am to 12 noon), any photostat shop found open during the examination was got closed by the board’s coordination committee members.

The intermediate board has issued a circular to photocopiers, requesting them to keep their business closed during the examination as this would help serve the interest of students and cause of education. Copies of the circular had also been sent to the home department and SPs of all towns, requesting them to ensure the closure of shops during the examination.

The police department increased the strength of force at various examination centres to help prevent the presence of outsiders within a radius of 60 yards of the examination centres and to avoid any law and order situation.

The absence of electricity at various examination centres caused inconvenience to the candidates appearing in exams in the persisting hot and humid weather. Several candidates complained that the frequent power cuts were affecting their performance in the exams and disrupting their studies at home.

During their surprise visits to various examination centres, a team comprising the chairman of the Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi, Prof Anwar Ahmed Zai, BIEK Secretary Prof Haider Ali Naveen and Deputy Controller of Examinations Mohammad Ali also took notice of the absence of electricity. They witnessed candidates appearing in exams at Government Abdullah College and Government Ship-Owners’ College, North Nazimabad, in the absence of electricity.