The much-awaited annual examinations for Intermediate students under the Karachi Board of Intermediate Education (BIEK) has kicked off today with more than 126,500 candidates participating.

The first phase of the 2025 examinations will encompass the 11th and 12th grades across various streams, including Science, Pre-Engineering, Pre-Medical, Science General, and Home Economics.

Additionally, the exams will also cater to improvement of grades, additional subjects, benefit cases, short subjects, Twelve Papers (TP), and special chances.

The exams will be conducted in both morning and evening shifts, with a total of 182 examination centers set up for the duration of the tests, which are scheduled to run from Monday, May 5, through Thursday, May 29, 2025.

Examination schedule and participation

In the morning shift, which runs from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, students from the Pre-Medical, Pre-Engineering, and Home Economics groups will sit for their exams. Over 92,000 students are expected to appear for their papers in this shift. The evening shift will take place from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, catering to the Science General group, with more than 34,500 candidates appearing for their exams.

This year, a total of 182 examination centers have been established, with 122 centers dedicated to the morning shift and 60 centers for the evening shift. Among these, 36 centers have been categorized as highly sensitive due to their vulnerability to potential security risks.

Security and logistics

The Karachi Board has taken comprehensive measures to ensure the smooth conduct of the examinations. Letters have been sent to the Inspector General of Sindh Police, Commissioner Karachi, DIG Traffic Karachi, and K-Electric to facilitate a secure environment for students and examination staff. Special security arrangements have been made at the 36 highly sensitive centers, and monitoring cells have been set up to prevent cheating and address any untoward incidents.

In an effort to combat cheating, the board has formed 16 super vigilance teams to oversee the examinations. Additionally, complaint cells have been established in all district deputy commissioner offices to address any issues or grievances from students or staff.

To ensure the security of the question papers, they are being securely transported from the central board office to the examination centers, with each paper marked with a unique center code to prevent leaks. In the unlikely event of a paper leak, the code will help identify the source of the breach.

Health and safety measures

With temperatures soaring during this time of the year, the Board has made provisions for emergency medical services. A request has been made for Rescue 1122 to be on standby in case of heat-related illnesses or emergencies.

The Board has also requested the enforcement of Section 144 around examination centers to prohibit the presence of unauthorized individuals and the operation of photocopy shops nearby. Additionally, any mobile phones or electronic devices found within examination centers will be confiscated.