Nearly 60% of grade eleven Commerce students fail in Karachi board exams

The Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) released the result on Friday for Part I of Commerce Regular group 2023, with 58% of students failing to clear all seven subjects.

Originally, 66% of students failed to pass all seven exams. However, after the Sindh government added 15% grace marks in four subjects, the failure rate dropped to 58%.

In line with a similar approach taken to address the high failure rate in the Science group, grace marks were also awarded in four core subjects of Commerce group on the recommendation of a fact-finding committee. 

These subjects include Principles of Accounting, Principles of Commerce, Principles of Economics, and Business Mathematics.

The BIEK chairman's decision to award grace marks subsequently improved the passing percentage from 34% to 42%.

Out of 35,432 students enrolled in the Commerce Regular Group exams for 2023, almost 34,198 students showed up at the exams.

While only 14,639 students cleared all seven papers in the BIEK exams. Over 6,770 passed six subjects. 

The performance dipped further, with 2,848 students passing four subjects, 2,024 passing three papers, and 1,672 passing only two papers. The remaining 1,290 candidates could clear just one paper.

Previously, a high proportion of MCQs combined with strict marking led to an overwhelming number of students failing in Science Pre-Medical, Pre-Engineering, and Science General groups.

Following outrage from students, parents, and political parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), a fact-finding committee was established by the then caretaker chief minister to probe the irregularities in exams.

The committee found serious issues with marking and MCQs software used in the BIEK exams. They recommended an investigation against top officials by NAB or Sindh Anti-Corruption Establishment. 

Despite these concerns, the government opted for a 15% grace mark in four subjects for both Science and Commerce groups to appease students, rather than pursuing an inquiry.