Sudden change of exam centres upsets BCom students

LAHORE : Mismanagement and lack of coordination between Punjab University (PU) and Govt MAO College put the candidates of BCom examination in great trouble when they had to rush to another exam centre at the eleventh hour.

Without the final confirmation from the college, Punjab University set up three examination centers at Govt MAO College for candidates of BCom Part-I Annual Examinations 2019 starting from June 19 and subsequently issued roll number slips.

However, when the candidates reached the exam centre at Govt MAO College on Wednesday morning most of them were informed that their exam centre was shifted as the college had not given the final approval to the PU authorities. They were told to rush to the Govt Saleem Model High School near Urdu Bazaar around 2-km away from the Govt MAO College. This caused panic among the candidates who rushed to the new exam centre.

A candidate, Sheheryar, a native of Kohat district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who had got registered himself with the Punjab University for the BCom exams, said: “I was really upset as I am not familiar with the city”, adding the last moment change of the exam centre was not less than a challenge for him. “But thank God, I was able to make it before the exam started,” he added. When contacted, Govt MAO College Principal Prof Dr Farhan Ebadat Yar Khan said the college administration had informed the PU authorities time and again that the college was already overburdened despite the summer break.

“There is already an exam centre of Punjab Board of Technical Education (PBTE) set up at the college while besides ongoing BS classes; an in-house examination was also under process at the college,” he said while explaining as to why the college refused to allow the university to set up its exam centres. He further said it was strange that the university exam branch did not listen to the college and issued roll number slips to the candidates. However, PU controller examinations Rauf Nawaz said the university had requested for three exam centers at the Govt MAO College and initially the same was approved. He added later the university had to shift two of the three exam centers a couple of days before the exams when the college refused to offer its room for all the three centres. Rauf Nawaz further said since it was sudden, revised roll number slips could not be issued to candidates ahead of the exam. However, the candidates were informed via SMS about the change of exam centres, he added. He further said those who did not receive the message somehow were informed at the college to reach their new exam centre on the exam day. He further said the candidates were provided revised roll number slips at the new exam centres and not a single candidate missed the exam.