The Punjab government has announced on Friday that all educational boards in the province will introduce an e-marking system from next year. This will replace the manual checking of exam papers.
Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat made the announcement while addressing a ceremony that was held for the results and prize distribution.
Manual paper checking to end
The minister said that the manual checking of exam papers will be completely stopped. Instead, papers will be checked through screen marking. This is also known as e-marking.
This new system is expected to make the process faster, more accurate and more transparent.
He further added that the centralised checking system is also being improved to reduce the chances of human error.
Online rechecking and digital result cards
Under the new system, students will be able to apply for online rechecking of their exam papers through a QR code. This will save them from visiting board offices and help increase confidence in the results.
The minister also said students will receive digital result cards instead of hard copies. Students of private schools will be able to download verified result cards from their school’s portal without needing separate verification.
An AI chatbot will also be introduced to help students get information about exams, results and other board-related matters.
Action against cheating
Rana Sikandar Hayat said the government’s strict measures have reduced organised cheating groups, commonly known as the “booti mafia”, by about 95 per cent.
He said there were no complaints this year about exam centres being sold or students being asked to pay money to have their papers solved.
He further added that the government’s goal is to strengthen a merit-based examination system.
Summer holidays extending?
There are several speculations circulating about whether summer vacations for schools in Punjab will be extended until August 31 because of the ongoing monsoon rains.
As the scheduled end of the summer break is getting closer, government and private schools across the province are preparing to welcome students back.
Read more: Punjab school summer holidays extending due to rains?