Islamabad, May 18, 2025: Parents, students, and school organizations across Pakistan are urging Cambridge International to revise its current exam schedule, following ongoing scheduling clashes that have left many candidates drained and stressed.
In many cases, students have been forced to appear in two or even three papers on the same day. This back-to-back testing has led to significant mental strain and physical exhaustion, with students complaining of sore hands and overall burnout.
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“We’re paying lacs for these exams. The least Cambridge can do is give students a fair chance by avoiding same-day paper clashes,” said a concerned parent, noting that many parents spend the entire day waiting outside examination centers as their children endure long hours of testing.
Educationist and campaigner Kashif Mirza, who also heads the All Pakistan Private Schools Federation, pointed out that Pakistan alone contributes billions to Cambridge, yet students are subjected to extreme pressure due to inefficient planning.
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‘Two exams in one day make it hard to do justice to either subject,” he remarked.
Mirza called on Cambridge to upgrade its scheduling process, even recommending the use of AI to create more balanced timetables and introduce buffer days between exams.
Cambridge International’s country head, Uzma Yusuf, acknowledged the growing frustration but explained that the issue stems from the wide number of subjects and varying paper lengths.
