• Parliamentary body approves recommendations of fact-finding committee
• Karachi board manipulated results of students who scored well in their matric exams, says education minister
• Claims BIEK results significantly worse than those of other education boards in Sindh

KARACHI: The parliamentary body formed to investigate controversial first year exam results of the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) has decided to give up to 20 per cent additional marks to all students in three subjects on the recommendations of a fact-finding committee that found glaring irregularities in the overall marking process.

The decision was taken in a meeting of the house committee, chaired by Education Minister Sardar Ali Shah and comprising Muhammad Yousuf Baloch, Adil Askari, Abdul Wasim, Taha Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Farooq and Muhammad Shabbir, on Tuesday. Leader of the Opposition Ali Khurshidi and Sikandar Ali Shoro were also present.

The house committee, which was formed by the provincial assembly on Jan 13, had assigned investigations into the controversial results to a fact-finding committee, headed by NED University’s Vice Chancellor Dr Sarosh Lodi.

During the meeting, Dr Lodi presented the 250-page report that highlighted irregularities and mismanagement in various stages of the examination process, including assessment, record-keeping, and mark sheets.

On the recommendations of the fact-finding committee, the meeting granted 15 per cent additional marks to students in Physics and Maths each and 20pc additional marks in Chemistry.

BIEK treated students unfairly, says minister

The education minister said that students were treated unfairly by the board.

He added that the BIEK had been engaging in malpractice regarding results for the past eight years, which must now be stopped.

Speaking to reporters at the media corner of the Sindh Assembly after the meeting, he said that the fact-finding committee uncovered serious irregularities within the board.

“The inquiry committee has been given the authority to identify those responsible, and we will recommend action against such elements as per the rules,” he said.

He also stressed the need for reforms in the board system. “We will continue this process. A centralised system is also needed to oversee board operations,” he added.

Expressing concern over the state of affairs, he remarked that the BIEK was “operating like a mafia, manipulating the results of students who had previously scored well in their matriculation exams”.

He pointed out that BIEK results were “significantly worse compared to other education boards in the province, creating a negative impression”.

“We will present all recommendations from the committee to the Sindh chief minister,” he concluded.

Damning indictment of BIEK

The report, a copy of which is available with Dawn, has highlighted severe irregularities and discrepancies in the BIEK examination process, its IT infrastructure and data security.

The committee found that, in many cases, examiners failed to accurately total students’ marks. It also found what it called “un-assessed portions in copies”.

For the scrutiny cases considered for relief, the report largely blamed “negligence on part of data entry staff for entry of marks”.

The report stated that there was a high risk to data integrity and security with several gaps in digital maintenance of records.

It also pointed out the incompetence of the board staff in terms of the management of digital systems and stated that most work was still being done manually, which also led to miscounting and issues in data entry of multiple students’ exams.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2025