LAHORE: The Punjab government has unveiled a new system for awarding marks in board practical examinations, a move officials believe is aimed at improving transparency and ensuring uniformity across the province’s education boards.
Under the revised policy, the authority of examiners present at examination centers to award full marks has been withdrawn. Instead, practical marks will now be split into two components. The written portion of the practical exam will be assessed directly through the central marking system of the respective boards, while examiners at centers will only be allowed to award limited marks based on students’ viva voce and their performance during the practical.
However, this discretion — even if limited — is believed to be leaving room for bias. In smaller districts, where examiners may personally know candidates, favoritism could never be ruled out. Moreover, the logistics of centralized marking raise questions about consistency and delays, especially if boards lack the infrastructure to handle large volumes of scripts efficiently.
Officials confirmed that the new system will initially be applied to practical examinations in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Computer Science, and that the policy is expected to be extended across all educational boards in Punjab to standardize the examination process.
This again raises the question that the absence of similar measures in other practical-heavy disciplines risks creating uneven standards.
Nonetheless, Punjab’s new system for awarding practical marks in board examinations is being hailed as a step toward transparency, with education experts cautioning that the reform may not fully eliminate subjectivity.
Education authorities insist that the changes will curb inconsistencies and reduce the possibility of favoritism in awarding marks, thereby strengthening the credibility of board examinations.
