Intermediate examinations to take place after June 15: Shafqat Mehmood

Intermediate examinations across Pakistan would be held after June 15,  Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood announced Tuesday.

The coronavirus situation is getting better in the country due to vaccinations and other steps taken by the government, the minister said, while speaking in Geo News programme "Capital Talk".

"I am very hopeful," he said, about successfully holding examinations.

The minister said currently only A2 (A Level second year) examinations are being held across the country, but several people are voicing their demands to be awarded school assessed grades.

"If examinations do not take place, then no one will study — and that is why the (O/A Level) exams — that have been postponed — will be conducted in October and November," he said.

Last month, as Pakistan saw an uptick in COVID-19 cases, Mehmood and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan had announced that as per the suggestion of the National Command and Operation Centre, all board exams have been postponed till June 15.

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

Mehmood added that another meeting of the NCOC will decide in the third week of May whether these exams will be postponed further or not.

"So if exams take place after June 15, they may continue in July and even August," the minister explained.

Speaking about Cambridge exams, Mehmood said that O Level exams will now be held in the October and November cycle and the same will be the case for A and AS Level exams.

"Those students who wish to seek admission in Pakistani universities will be able to do so until January as the government will take the universities on board in this regard," the minister said.

He, however, said students of A2 must appear in the examination right now, as deferment would lead to a wasted year.