Matric exams postponed amid admit card chaos affecting 350,000 students

The Board of Secondary Education Karachi on Sunday postponed the annual matriculation examinations that were scheduled to begin on April 7, following widespread issues with the issuance of admit cards.

According to sources, the exams will now commence from Friday, April 10, in what officials described as a decision taken in the “wider interest of students.”

The delay comes as more than 350,000 students preparing for the exams were left in uncertainty due to the non-availability of admit cards, with many unaware of their designated examination centers.

The board had earlier claimed that admit cards were uploaded to its online portal on Saturday evening. However, when administrations of both private and government schools attempted to download them, a large number encountered technical errors. Several institutions reported receiving error messages, while others said the admit cards they managed to download were incomplete.

The situation triggered confusion and concern among students, parents, and school authorities, forcing the board to take last-minute action.

In a notification issued late Sunday night, the Board of Secondary Education Karachi acknowledged the issue and announced an alternative arrangement. Schools that are unable to download admit cards online have been directed to collect them physically.

According to the notification, heads of affiliated schools or their authorized representatives can obtain admit cards starting Monday, April 6, from 9:00 am at the conference hall on the first floor of Block B at the board office, upon presentation of an authority letter.

The development highlights administrative challenges within the examination system, as thousands of students now face last-minute disruptions ahead of one of the most critical academic milestones of their education.