A few days ago, the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) declared the results of the HSSC annual examinations. Students are extremely disappointed with their results, as they failed to achieve the grades they had hoped for, and so are their parents.

It is often said that a single piece of paper (the result) cannot determine your future; but, in our country, it does. For higher education, high grades are necessary to gain entry into a prestigious field at a reputable university. Our education system prioritises marks over students’ abilities. In essence, it judges students solely based on their marks in a board exam.

The top-ranking university in our country, Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU), does not conduct an entry test for admission. Instead, selection is based on students’ marks in the board exams. As a result, students with A1 grades secure admission, while many talented individuals are rejected simply for having lower grades. This is the flawed system prevailing in our country.

This system compels students and their parents to pay substantial amounts to the board administration to secure an A1 grade and to cheat during exams.

If universities were to consider only entry test marks for admission and disregard board exam results, the system would ultimately improve. This change would eliminate the incentive for students to cheat and reduce the financial burden on parents seeking high grades.

MUHAMMAD DARWESH,

Sukkur.