Exam centre change causes chaos at Karachi matric board

KARACHI: A scuffle broke out at the Matric Board office in Karachi after an attempt to change examination centres led to chaos, resulting in broken glass and injuries to the Exams Controller, ARY News reported.

According to reports, annual Matric exams are currently underway in Karachi. However, a dispute arose when representatives from different schools arrived at the Matric Board office demanding changes in exam centres.

The confrontation between the Board staff and those pushing for the changes quickly escalated into a physical altercation.

Sources confirmed that during the clash, glass panels were broken, and the Exams Controller, Zaheeruddin Bhutto, sustained injuries.

Following the incident, three clerks involved in attempting to manipulate the exam centres have been suspended.

In response, the Board Controller has ordered the closure of the IT Department. Locks have been placed on the department’s office, and it has been instructed to remain shut until further notice.

Earlier, Students appearing in the ongoing matriculation exams in Karachi were facing severe disruptions due to prolonged electricity load shedding at examination centers, despite prior assurances from K-Electric (KE) that these areas would be exempt from outages.

As the annual Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams commenced in Karachi, several centers, including those located in Jahangir Road, Jamshed Road, Lyari, Bin Qasim Town, and Orangi, experienced power outages lasting over 2.5 hours, nearly the entire duration of the examination.

The outages left classrooms and exam halls without lights or fans, forcing students to attempt their papers in stifling heat and inadequate lighting.

The conditions caused considerable distress among students, who struggled to concentrate while drenched in sweat, and raised concerns about the potential damage to answer sheets, which could ultimately affect their results.

The situation also created challenges for invigilators and exam staff, who were equally affected by the intense heat and poor visibility.

Both students and teachers have called on the authorities to ensure an uninterrupted power supply at least during exam hours to safeguard students’ future.