Invigilators skipping exam duty face the music

A number of invigilators have been absent from exam duties, causing difficulties for the Lahore Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) to conduct the supplementary examinations smoothly, including curbing the appearance of impersonators in place of the candidates.

According to sources in the BISE, monitoring teams have identified several exams centres where employees were not acting to stop cheating.

The supplementary exams of matriculation began in Lahore division last week.

"The BISE examination department has received complains of cheating in several exam halls. The BISE exams controller also ordered the arrest of a boy appearing in an exam at the Mureedke centre in the place of his cousin who was in Dubai. The controller also confiscated roll number slips of candidates and cheating material from a superintendent who was allegedly facilitating some students," said a senior official of the Lahore BISE.

The Punjab chief minister had recently announced a zero tolerance policy against cheating in exams.

The official said a major reason of the challenges faced in ensuring transparency in the exams was that a large number of invigilators from government schools had shunned their duty.

A number of female investigators of girls exam centres are not performing duties, the official added.

"The fake candidate was arrested a few days ago and a case of unfair means was registered. The Punjab Higher Education Department suspend Superintendent Muhammad Zubair, while an investigation against him is under way," a spokesman for the Lahore BISE said.

The BISE controller has also recommended the suspension of the invigilators remaining absent from their official duty.

Following the recommendation, 56 staff members have been suspended, the spokesman added.