The Sindh High Court (SHC) has sought a response from Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood regarding the cancellation of A and O level exams.

Earlier in April, a petition was filed by a group of students in the SHC seeking the cancellation of O/A level exams. The petition said that while the government deemed it risky for students from 1 to 12 grades to take physical classes or exams in the ongoing third coronavirus wave, it wanted thousands of Cambridge students to give exams.

The A and AS level exams will begin on April 26 while O level exams will begin from May 10. The students said students should be graded on the basis of the online classes and assignments. The petition prayed that the high court declare the government's decision unlawful.

During the hearing today, the court was informed that Cambridge exams across the world were being taken online or being moved to School Assessed Grades. The lawyer for the Cambridge International Assessment said that exam decisions are taken by the provincial governments, Samaa.

Adjourning the hearing till April 21, the SHC has sought the government’s policy on O and A level exams, and the impact of holding online exams or conducing no exams this year will have.