Exam centres ‘run by PML-N MPA allow cheating’

Vast majority of exam centres out of total 38 established in the district for grade 8 are being run by PML-N leaders

RAJANPUR: A vast majority of exam centres out of total 38 established in the district for grade 8 are being run by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders.

Some centre superintendents have been changed in the Jampur tehsil on the consent of PML-N’s Parliamentary Secretary for Colonies and Consolidation Sardar Sher Ali Khan Gorchani. Allegations of cheating and poor invigilation have emerged from nearly all centers located in the Rojhan tehsil, where students were given a free hand to consult with each other during the grade 8 exam. PML-N MPA from PP-250 Sardar Atif Hussain Khan Mazari allegedly ordered all invigilators to let the students exchange answer sheets.

Officials in the School Education Department (SED) told The Express Tribune that both PML-N MPAs from Rajanpur last forced Secretary SED to appoint their nominee as EDO (Education) last month so that he could carry out their directives. The secretary has also appointed a PML-N nominee as the EDO in the area.

The Punjab Examination Commission (PEC) started its examinations for class 5 and class 8 from February 1. The exams are to continue till February 12. According to data for Rajanpur, over 16,000 students of class 5 have appeared in their primary school examination in 61 established centres, while around 9,000 students of class 8 are sitting for their middle school exams in 38 centres.

According to PEC rules, the local/district government is responsible to appoint centre superintendents for these exams. “The department isn’t allowed to switch centre superintendents at whim and they are meant to serve in the same centre. This isn’t happening,” the SED official said.

A centre superintendent in district Rajanpur said that Gorchani had changed two superintendents at the last minute after they refused to bow to his wishes to let the students cheat.

They alleged that Gorchani had stopped one centre superintendent, Ghulam Mustafa, from conducting exams of grade 8 in the Government Elementary School Jampur centre, although the grade 5 exams had been held at the same centre. “Mustafa has refused to allow the students to cheat in their class five exams and Gorchani transferred him,” they said.

The officials alleged that Gorchani has asked the EDO (Education) Malik Irshad Ahmad Shad to sack Mustafa and appoint Akhtar Hussain as the centre superintendent. “Hussain is from Gorchani’s native village in Lal Garh and he followed his directives of letting the students cheat,” the officials said.

They said that all exam centres in Gorchani’s constituency had been received instructions to allow students to copy their papers. In Liaqatpur, several students were arrested for taking the exams on behalf of their friends.

“Invigilators said they founds three students sitting the grade 8 exams on behalf of their friends but that no action was taken against them on Gorchani’s orders,” the official said.

They said that Mazair has asked EDO Shad to appoint superintendents who would allow cheating in his constituency. “This is the reason behind Rojhan exam results being much higher than some districts,” the men said. Shad has denied all the allegations against him and Gorchani. “I changed the centre superintendents after they finished conducting class 5 exams because the class 8 exams needed fewer invigilators,” Shad said, adding that in other cases superintendent had been changed because their own children were sitting for the exams.

However, PEC Senior Research Fellow Dr Bashir Gondal said that the EDO was responsible for conducting transparent and fair exams in line with the PEC regulations. “The EDO can’t change the centre superintendents at whim. Almost all EDO’s have gotten their postings through political influence,” he said.

PML-N MPA Sardar Atif Mazari ruled out all allegations regarding the changing of centres for superintendents. “We have issued clear directives to the EDO that we expect a good result from each school in the exams but no one was given licence to cheat,” he said.

Gorchani said “I am unaware about the changing of any superintendents in the examination centres and all the allegations against me are false.” He said that today he had directed the EDO to change the Jampur superintendent after receiving complaints from students.

“The students protested and blocked the Indus Highway after they weren’t given full time to solve their Math paper,” he said, adding that he then issued a directive that the superintendent be removed.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2011.