LAHORE, Aug 23: Education standards being on the decline, the Punjab University’s Bachelor of Arts and Science (BA/BSc) annual examinations 2008 results declared on Saturday showed a plunge in the pass percentage, that is, 24.67 per cent from last year’s 26.68 per cent.

According to the preamble to the result notification, as many as 172,888 candidates appeared in the BA/BSc annual examinations, of whom 42,653 were declared successful.

In keeping with the past record, the girls have this year again stamped their authority by clinching six out of eight top positions which include two shared positions – one each in BA and BSc examinations.

Overall gender-wise pass percentage also shows that the girl candidates in BA outshone boys by achieving 29.28 results. The success ratio for boys remained 16.60. In BSc examination, boys showed 25.24 pass percentage while the girls came up with more than double the figure of 52.99.

The BA/BSc annual examinations for 2008 results were declared by PU Controller of Examinations Zahid Karim Khan at a prize-distribution ceremony at the university’s Faisal Auditorium on Saturday. Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif, PU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran, Registrar Prof Dr Naeem Khan and Punjab Higher Education Secretary Arifa Subuhi were present. None of public- or private-sector institutions in Lahore could bag any top position in the examinations.

In science group (BSc), Mahwish Nadeem of the Leadership College, Khadim Ali Road, Sialkot, clinched first position by scoring 665 marks out of 800. The second position was shared by Wajeeha Sundas of the Government Postgraduate College for Women, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi, and Saba Shehzadi of the Ibn-e-Ameer Government College for Women, Jalalpur Jattan with 657 marks each. Usman Rafi of the Government Municipal Degree College, Faisalabad, secured third position with a score of 640.

In the humanities group (BA), Sheikh Muhammad Umar Farooq, an external candidate from Lahore district, clinched first position with 642 marks. Sharmeen Azhar of the Government Degree College for Women, Chakwal, bagged second position with 628 marks.

The third position was shared by Shaista Mehtab, an external candidate from Rawalpindi district, and Ayesha Tariq of the Government College for Women, Shakargarh, each scoring 623 marks.

The notification says 69,268 regular and 103,620 private candidates took the examination out of whom 23,736 and 18,917 candidates passed with percentages of 34.27 and 18.26, respectively.

As many as 152,257 candidates appeared in the BA examination out of whom 34,140 students were declared pass (22.42 per cent). In BSc examination, some 8,513 of the 20,631 candidates have graduated, showing a percentage of 41.26.

PU Controller of Examinations Zahid Karim Khan told the audience that the university had made all-out efforts to hold the BA/BSc annual examinations in a transparent manner. It had constituted 11 monitoring teams of university teachers that thoroughly inspected the examination centres.

On the instructions of the vice-chancellor, he said, the candidates were provided maximum facilities. He said the two shared positions showed that the competition was tough among the candidates.

Mr Khan announced that the university would present merit certificates and cash prizes to the position holders. The first position holders in both groups were given Rs100,000 cash prize each. The second position holders got Rs75,000 each and those securing third positions were awarded Rs65,000 each.

He also announced that the distinction holders would be offered free post-graduation education at the university.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on behalf of the Punjab government announced cash prizes of Rs300,000, Rs200,000 and Rs175,000 for the top three position holders in both science and arts groups.

The position holders would also be given a Guard of Honour as well as full financial support for their higher studies up to the doctorate level at home and abroad.

The controller of examinations said the university had declared the results within 90 days with minimum (280 candidates’) results shown as Result Late (RL). He said these students’ results were late due to their own mistakes.

He said the examination supervisory staff reported unfair means cases against 663 candidates.

He said most of the UMCs had been finalised, while as many as 97 pending UMCs would be decided within a month.

He said the result cards of the candidates had been dispatched through registered mail on Aug 19 and those of all colleges had also been delivered before the declaration of results.

For the appreciation of examination department employees, Mr Khan said the vice-chancellor had announced a cash incentive of Rs200,000.

He said the number of examination department employees was high and each would be getting some Rs360 only. “This prize has been accepted by the employees happily as appreciation for their hard work,” he added. Mr Khan said the results were also available at the university’s website www.pu.edu.pk.

Later, the chief minister presented merit certificates and cash prizes to the position holders.