Shafqat Mahmood asks HEC to explore possibility of online exams

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood has directed the Higher Education Commission to consult universities regarding students’ request for online exams.

Taking to Twitter on Monday, Shafqat Mahmood wrote” “Some university students are demanding that their exams should be online as they have been studying online. This is a decision for the universities to make but I have asked HEC to consult VCs and see if it is possible given special circumstances this year.”

The minister added that universities “should also assess whether they have the technical ability to conduct online exam for all students, stressing that no student should be left behind.”

“No one can be left behind. It is also necessary to ensure that the online exam system is not misused to get easy grades,” he wrote. “Preparing good question papers/ assessment is important.”

Students from all over Pakistan have been calling for education authorites to pressurize colleges and schools to conduct online exams due to the Covid-19.

Pakistan has recorded 1,629 cases in the last 24 hours, 23 deaths, and 2,414 recoveries from the pandemic. The overall infections have reached 534,041, while the death toll stands at 11,318.