Students demonstrate for exam cancellation

Islamabad: A large number of matriculation and intermediate students demonstrated here on Tuesday to demand cancellation of their annual examinations.

They gathered outside the National Press Club (NPC) and shouted slogans. “We will continue our protest until the government cancels the exams,” a protester said, adding that the students are not ready for the exams, and forcing them to sit the exams is unfair.

Last week, students had held a protest outside the Higher Education Commission premises against in-person examinations for classes 9-12.

Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood, however, cleared that no student would be promoted to the next class without examinations this year.

Talking to the media, the federal education minister said that neither exams would be cancelled nor postponed this year.

“Let me make it clear that this year nobody will be promoted without exams,” he said.

Putting an end to speculation about the cancellation of exams, Shafqat advised students to focus on exams that, he said, will happen as announced.