High merit lists: Many students unable to secure admission to colleges in KP

PESHAWAR: Students who passed their 10th-grade exam last year are the worst sufferers as their marks are too low in the merit lists, compared to those who were given higher marks this year amid the pandemic

Arfa Khan, a student, stated she was suffering much because she was being denied admission to most colleges. “We had passed 9th grade in the year 2019 and later in 2020, we were given the same marks of 9th grade to get promoted to 10th grade. I also wasted one year due to making a correction in my father’s name and when I am now applying for admission in colleges this year, the BISEs has given very higher marks to students in 10th grades this year, rendering me ineligible for admission in almost all colleges,” she lamented.

She added that she had applied for admission to a college in Peshawar city near her home but if she did not get admission to that college, she might abandon her education because her family won’t be able to send her to a far-off higher secondary school or a college.

Another student, Ikramullah, said that he had been a good student in compulsory subjects but this year, the management of BISE marked their papers of optional subjects, and then they assigned them the same marks in compulsory subjects, thus adversely affecting their result.

Discussing the issue, the students and their guardians have appealed to the government authorities to formulate a policy so that all students are given a level playing field and they are able to secure admissions in colleges.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Shahram Khan neither picked calls nor did he respond to text messages delivered on his number to give his version on what measures could be taken to help the students who are facing problems in college admissions due to the recent marking procedures amid the Covid pandemic.