THE use of unfair means in board exams has been a persistent issue for years, with students often resorting to unethical practices, such as copying, to obtain good grades. This naturally happens because the existing mechanism facilitates such `arrangements`.

Those who check the answer scripts also tend to take a careless approach to the task. In some cases, they distribute answer sheets to their known associates, asking them to simply mark answers with a tick and assign random scores.

This year, there has been a shift. After the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK), its counterpart in Hyderabad also took an initiative to set things right.

However, the change has brought its own set of challenges. Due to careless checking, many students received lower marks than what they deserved. Among them were students hoping to seek admission to universities or sit the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT). For them, the drop in marks has created a significant obstacle.

With fewer spots available at universities and increasing competition, securing a place in higher education has become more challenging than ever. The authorities should enforce stricter regulations at exam centres, completely eliminate cheating, and make the process of paper-checking better.

It is time for the system to uphold all the values that encourage genuine learning,and ensure afair chancefor every student without any discrimination.

Hamid Ali Hyderabad