Medical colleges and universities: FIA looking into NTS entry test leak

SHC questions which law the agency is investigating the case under

KARACHI: The questionnaire for the entry test for medical colleges and universities in Sindh, conducted by the National Testing Service (NTS) last month, was leaked using a social networking website, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) investigator informed the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday.

The disclosure came during the hearing of a petition seeking a restraining order against the announcement of the final results of the test conducted by the NTS after the paper was leaked and for ordering the test be conducted afresh.

Headed by Justice Munib Akhtar, a two-judge bench was hearing a petition filed by Imran Ali Pirzada, who had named the NTS chairperson, provincial health secretary and vice-chancellors of the medical colleges and universities in the province as respondents.

On Wednesday, an FIA officer told the judges that the agency had registered a case regarding the paper leak. The investigator said that the questionnaire was leaked via Facebook, adding that the investigation was still under way.

The judges inquired under which law the investigation was being conducted by the FIA, but the official could not give a satisfactory answer.



Therefore, the bench directed the FIA investigator to come prepared on the next hearing to answer the court's queries relating to the ongoing inquiry and under what law the investigation was being carried out. It also directed the provincial government and NTS chief to submit their comments by November 15.

Case history

The petitioner, Pirzada, said that the question paper of the pre-admission test conducted by the NTS was leaked on October 21 in connivance with NTS staff to mint money.

He said that the leaking of the test paper a day before the exam amounted to the murder of merit. But, he alleged, that the government did not to take action against the NTS staff for such an unlawful act.



The petitioner's lawyer argued that the NTS test held on October 22 may be declared illegal after the paper was leaked. He also sought a direction for the government to hold the entry test afresh through a reputed testing agency for admission in MBBS and BDS college and university programmes.

The court was also pleaded to restrain the NTS from issuing a final merit list of the October 22 exam till the final disposal of the petition.

Meanwhile, an order for an inquiry was also sought against the NTS official responsible for releasing the secret paper.