By Hina Kiyani
ISLAMABAD: The Equivalence Committee of Inter Boards Coordination Commission (IBCC) announced to ease the requirements for O Level students who face challenges in meeting the Urdu (compulsory) language requirement in their examination.
The newly approved provision is extended to two main categories of students.
Firstly, the students who have spent at least five consecutive years outside Pakistan prior to appearing for their examinations in Pakistan will be eligible to substitute Urdu with an alternative subject as is provided by Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISEs).Pakistan’s cuisine
This relaxation acknowledges the unique challenges faced by students who have lived abroad and may not have had the opportunity to formally study Urdu.
Secondly, the students who, due to health conditions, are unable to manage the study of two languages concurrently, can now benefit from this provision. To qualify for this exemption, these students are required to provide a recommendation from a certified Medical Board or the Social Welfare Department affirming their inability to study multiple languages due to medical reasons.
It is pertinent to mention that the decision aligns with similar relaxations already offered by BISEs in Pakistan as students are allowed to appear in an alternate to Urdu subject in hardship cases by the BISEs.
Recent reports in the news and on social media have unfortunately misinterpreted the decision.
The intention behind the decision was to provide similar flexibility to the O level students as is available with the students of SSC and HSSC in Pakistan, however, certain aspects may have been misunderstood or inaccurately represented in public discussions.
