Matric board exams: Paper for grade 9 leaks on social media

• Maths paper for grade IX leaked 15 mins before exam started. 
• On Tuesday and Monday, exam papers for physics and maths, respectively, were leaked. 
• Karachi matric board chairperson had suspected central control officers of being responsible for the leaks.

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KARACHI: The mathematics paper for grade 9 leaked in Karachi Thursday, a day after the exam papers for physics and mathematics were made public by unidentified sources on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

This time around, the exam paper for mathematics paper for grade IX was leaked on social media at 9:15am which was scheduled to begin from 9:30am. 

Candidates were attempting their first grade IX exam today. 

As per Geo News, the exam papers were brought from the exam hubs to the exam centres on time. The Sindh government had imposed Section 144 at the exam centres, which meant that people were barred from assembling outside exam centres or use mobile phone. 

However, these rules were flouted, as several teachers carried mobile phones into the exam centre and many people could be seen standing outside an exam centre as well. 

Maths, physics papers leak in Karachi

Despite assurances from education authorities to enhance the security and distribution mechanism of question papers, the mathematics questionnaire leaked too before the start of the paper on Wednesday.

The exam was scheduled to start at 9:30am but the question paper was available 30 mins earlier.

On Tuesday, a controversy was triggered when the physics paper was leaked on social media.

Following the mismanagement and chaos during the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) Annual Examination 2021, the Sindh government had taken strong notice and summoned the controller examination of Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) who assured Adviser Nisar Khoro of taking corrective measures.

However, no improvement was observed today when the second paper of mathematics was leaked too.

Earlier on Monday, BESK Chairman Syed Sharaf Ali Shah suspected that the central control officers (CCOs) had a hand in the controversy surrounding the paper leak and delay in the delivery of the questionnaire.

Speaking to Geo News anchor Shahzeb Khanzada on his programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath Monday, Sharaf Ali Shah said it was the primary responsibility of CCOs to distribute the papers to the exam centres.

"The CCOs did not arrive (at the hub) to collect exam papers," said the matric board chairperson. "The delay was caused when the board's staff, due to the CCOs absence, delivered the papers to the examination centres," he had told the anchor.

Shah had said it seemed as if the CCOs were involved in the conspiracy, adding that they will no longer be performing this duty.

"The CCOs orders have been cancelled. Now, the superintendents will collect papers from the hubs and deliver them to the exam centres," he had said.

Shah had said the board has also increased the number of hubs from 11 to 18 to ensure timely delivery of the papers from now on.