Unfair means: WhatsApp groups involved in intermediate paper leak

BIEK approaches FIA with evidence, seeking the agency’s help to deal with the matter


Safdar Rizvi August 02, 2021
An inmate writes answers on his sheets while giving his secondary education exams at the Central Jail, Karachi, on Saturday. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS

KARACHI:

The Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK), has secured incriminating evidence against a highly organised group allegedly involved in leaking intermediate examination papers to candidates.

The group that operates via WhatsApp, is advanced enough to not only acquire papers at the publication phase, but can also solve and distribute them among aspiring students seated in examination halls.

Upon obtaining proof, the board has now contacted the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) cybercrime wing for further investigation into the case.

The said group and its activities came to light on the first day of intermediate examinations at the Government Jamia Millia College in Malir, when the invigilating staff confiscated mobile phones of over 15 students thought to be resorting to unfair means.

Out of the 15 confiscated phones, 12 were linked to the same WhatsApp group containing a solved version of the intercommerce accounting paper, issued by the board.

According to the Jamia Millia management, the 12 students, all belonging to Government Superior College (Evening), had received the examination paper at 1.47pm, as displayed the WhatsApp timestamp on their phones.

“This was only a few minutes after the paper came to the examination centre itself and we have forwarded all case information and evidence, including numbers of group admins, to the BIEK,” said Jamia Millia Government College Principal Prof Zakaullah.

Speaking on the matter, BIEK Chairperson Prof Saeed Uddin confirmed that his department has notified FIA’s additional director of cybercrime about the case, alleging that there could also be more such groups active on WhatsApp.

“We have requested FIA to root out such groups as they are not only depriving students of sincere efforts but also discrediting the name of the board colleges,” he told.

Sources allege involvement of tuition centre teachers, staff of private and government colleges and employees of related government institutions in the creation of the WhatsApp group being used to leak and circulate examination sheets.

Read More: Protest against in-person exams turns violent

“A solved paper is sold for thousands of rupees, which cheating students often pool-in for and deliver to such agencies,” revealed a source privy to the development. It is worth mentioning that Sindh has at least three secretaries, one minister and one advisor on education.

The powers of the schools secretary are limited to the school level, while the powers of the colleges secretary are limited to colleges.

Similarly, the secretary of the universities and boards department and all the boards of education in the province are subordinate to the department of universities and boards.

Meanwhile, Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani, responsible for college education and examination centres, is currently out of the country.

Whereas, Sindh Advisor to Chief Minister Advisor Nisar Khuro, who is supposed to oversee all the boards of education, has also remained absent from visiting and inspecting any examination centres this season.

Despite plagiarism being a common offence across Sindh, no centre superintendent or board official has yet looked into the matter or taken any steps towards enforcing fair examinations.

Addressing the matter, Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC) Secretary Dr Ghulam Ali Mallah said that such complaints of cheating and leaked papers have been on the rise and have merited a consultation with education boards.

“Despite the hardships of Covid-19, it’s still unacceptable for students to be resorting to unfair means and the IBCC will soon recommend a mechanism to remedy this curse,” he told The Express Tribune.

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