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Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) Chairman Ghulam Hussain has issued fresh directives for the ongoing matriculation exams, barring the removal of female students' abayas at the examination centres.
He said that no complaints of cheating have been received involving female candidates; such measures are unnecessary.
He further warned that strict action would be taken if any examination centre is found forcing female students to remove their burqa or abaya during the exams.
The chairman also directed that no male invigilators should be appointed at examination centres designated for female students.
The annual examinations for 9th and 10th-grade students began across the city last Friday. As many as 385,000 students are appearing for the examinations.
Authorities have promised strict monitoring. Section 144 has been imposed around examination centres to maintain order, mobile phones are completely banned, and even nearby photostat shops stay shut to prevent any chance of cheating.
However, the matriculation examinations have been plunged into controversy, with widespread allegations of paper leaks, bribery, and severe administrative failures disrupting students’ ability to sit exams fairly.
