No exams to take place until June 15: Shafqat Mahmood

No exams to take place until June 15: Shafqat Mahmood

Islamabad (Staff Report/Agencies): Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood has said no exam will take place across the country until June 15.

Addressing a press conference along with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan on Tuesday after a special National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) meeting, Mahmood said all board exams have been postponed till June 15 due to rapid increase in number of coronavirus cases across the country.

“Exams of 9, 10, 11 and 12, which were supposed to begin from the end of May, have been delayed further,” the minister said and added “No board exams will be held till mid-June (June 15).”

“So if exams take place after June 15, they may continue in July and even August,” he explained.

The minister said O and A level exams had been cancelled and would now take place in the October-November cycle. However, A2 exams will keep running for those students who want to appear for the purpose of applying to foreign universities.

“It has been directed strictly that after Monday, more than 50 people will not be in one centre. For that we have requested that schools be made venues,” the minister said, adding that law enforcement personnel will be deployed to maintain discipline.

Dr Faisal Sultan said the number of critical Covid-19 patients in the country had surpassed 5,000, the highest since the start of the pandemic. “The third wave of the pandemic is intense and NCOC has taken a lot of steps for strict compliance of restrictions,” the SAPM added.