Torrential rain has turned the first day of Secondary School Certificate Examinations into a ‘nightmare’ for the students and invigilating staff on Monday.

Board of Secondary Education Karachi conducted papers amid tight security within and outside the examination centres. In the first shift, the paper of computer science was held for the students of the ninth classes, while the paper of general group of tenth class was held in the second shift (evening). According to some reports, various examination centres setup in the suburb areas of the city have witnessed for the open use of unfair means, while the students appeared in the centres formed in the main city were strictly checked by vigilance teams.

The students, teachers and other staff faced massive problems when the City received heavy rain on Monday. The rain caused massive power breakdown that forced the students to attempt papers in dark classrooms and humidity. Due to heavy rain, some private schools associations demanded the BSEK administration to postpone paper of matric class in the second shift as the rain created massive traffic jam in the city.

Around 317407 candidates appeared in the matriculation examinations usually but in the said papers the students are not appeared in big numbers. On the other hand, the BSEK officials have claimed that the exams were held smoothly despite power failure due to rain. SECURITY LAPSE IN SENSITIVE CENTRES: Despite the government’s assurance, the sensitive areas of the city, where BSEK also set up exams centres, the security was not sufficient that caused nuisance for both students and the invigilating staff.

These sensitive centres include two centres for boys and one for girls in Keamari Town, 5 centres for boys and 3 for girls in Baldia Town, 4 centers for boys and 3 for girls in Orangi town, 2 centres for boys and 1 for girls in Lyari town, 1 centre for boys in Jamshed Town, 3 centres for boys and one for girls in Shah Faisal Town, 2 centers for boys and 2 for girls in Landhi town, 2 centres for boys and one for girls in Korangi town, one centre for boys in North Nazimabad, one centre for boys in Liaquatabad, 2 centres for boys and one for girls in Malir, one centres for boys and one for girls in Bin Qasim Town and four centres for boys and 3 for girls in Gadap Town.

FIVE CAUGHT CHEATING: Talking to The Nation, BSEK Controller Examination Noman Ahsan said that on the first day of the examinations, the papers of ninth and matric classes were held smoothly. He claimed that only five cases of unfair means were registered in the city. He said that as many as 223 examination centres had been set up in various town of the City to accommodate candidates. He said setting up of as many as 56 vigilance and 30 super vigilance teams ensured transparency in the exams despite very few cases of unfair means were reported during the exams.Under section-144, weapons have been banned and all photocopies’ shops will not be allowed to open near all exam centres during papers’ time.