Power outages and overcrowding disrupt Karachi board exams on second day

KARACHI: The second day of annual examinations conducted by the Board of Secondary Education Karachi was affected by electricity outages and administrative problems at multiple centres across the city.

The Class IX Computer Studies paper was held in the morning shift, while the afternoon session included compulsory Urdu, Sindhi and Pakistan Geography (Paper I) for the general group.

According to the reported figures, 385,529 students appeared in the examinations being held at 521 centres during the morning and evening sessions.

Several examination centres experienced extended power cuts, leaving students to sit their papers in intense heat without fans. The situation affected the examination environment and created difficulties for candidates.

Staff members said the problem had continued from the previous day and had not been resolved despite assurances.

Problems reported at examination centres

In parts of New Karachi, further issues were reported at some centres, including overcrowding. Reports said that two to three students were asked to share a single bench, adding to the difficulties faced during the examinations.

The combination of prolonged blackouts and congested seating arrangements created additional challenges for students appearing in the board papers on the second day of the examination schedule.

The reported disruptions came as a large number of candidates attended the annual examinations across Karachi under the Board of Secondary Education Karachi.