Cambridge International Education (CIE) initially offered a fee waiver for retaking canceled A-Level exams, but a surprising development has left students and parents puzzled. Those wishing to retake the exams are now required to pay fees to the British Council, creating uncertainty around the fee structure.

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Originally, CIE announced a ‘free-of-charge’ retake opportunity for A-Level students whose exams were canceled on May 10, 11, and 12. However, details regarding the fee waivers remained unclear.

A spokesperson from CIE clarified that although Cambridge has eliminated its retake fee, the British Council will impose a fee to manage the exam process. The exact fee amount is yet to be announced.

Importantly, students are not obligated to resit their exams in November 2023. Whether they choose to retake or not, their June 2023 exam results will remain valid.

Once their respective centers have submitted entries for students seeking to retake exams in June 2024, students can request their center to coordinate with CIE through the British Council to obtain credit covering entry fees.

The free retake option is exclusively available to candidates who remained entered but were unable to complete components due to the exam cancellations in June 2023. For students dissatisfied with one or more exam results, questions arose about retaking specific components. CIE clarified that candidates must complete all components associated with their entry option to receive a result.

In response to student concerns and calls for remedial measures, a meeting was convened involving Education Secretary Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry, CIE, and British Council officials. The decision to offer retake exams without charging fees was reached following widespread disappointment among the majority of the 45,000 Pakistani students who undertook A-Level exams, receiving lower grades in this year’s series.