RAWALPINDI: Divisional administration on Tuesday asked deputy commissioners of all six districts of Rawalpindi to impose section 144 in and around examination centres during the secondary school certificate annual examinations.

The exams are scheduled to start on March 4.

In a meeting to review the arrangements, Rawalpindi Commissioner Amir Khattak directed that foolproof arrangements should be ensured for the examinations conducted by the Board of Intermediate and Se condary Education (BISE) Rawalpindi, a statement issued here said.

Briefingthemeeting, the RawalpindiBISE Chairman Adnan Khan said that around 120,024 candidates will appear in the annual examinations while 399 examination centres have been set up.

Moreover, control rooms have been set up in the division to monitor the examination affairs.

`There are a total of 97 sensitive examination centres in the division. Of these, 15 are in Attock, 17 in Jhelum, 8 in Chakwal, 11 in Talagang, 9 in Murree and 37 in Rawalpindi where additional staff and security will be deployed,` Mr Khan said.

The commissioner directed that Section 144 should be imposed within the limits of the examination centres and CCTV cameras should be installed in the halls.

`Deputy commissioners, additional deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners and relevant divisional heads should visit the examination centres of the board within their respective jurisdictions, he said.

He said that the district administrations would check the arrangements at the examination centres and the working of the invigilators should also be monitored.

He said that examinations are a means of healthy competition among students and key to instilling a spirit of progress in them.

`The district administration should fully support the education boards in conducting the examinations in a transparent manner and if any irregularity is reported anywhere, immediate action should be taken and an FIR should be registered against the persons concerned,` he added.

He further said that unauthorised absence from examination duty won`t be acceptable under any circumstances and strict action will be taken against those found guilty of negligence.

He said that providing a peaceful environment to the students is their top priority and that every student should enter the examination room with the belief that the fruits of his/her hard work will not be stolen by anyone through dishonesty.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema, and deputy commissioners of Attock, Jhelum, Murree and Chakwal participated in the meeting through a video link.