3 years jail, Rs. 50,000 fine for paper leaks as Punjab tackles cheating

Govt officials involved in exam paper leaks will face up to 3 years in jail, fines, and job dismissal.

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The Lahore Education Board in Punjab has introduced new rules, imposing a three-year prison sentence and a Rs.50,000 fine for leaking or sharing exam papers.

Under the new rules, government officials involved in leaking exam papers will face imprisonment, fines, and dismissal from their jobs. Additionally, bringing mobile phones into practical exams or any form of interference will result in action under the Yeda Act.

Punjab’s Education Minister, Rana Sikandar Hayat, has been leading a significant crackdown on cheating for nearly a year. Reflecting on the operation, he revealed, When we went after the 'booti mafia,' we were shocked by how powerful these individuals were, having gained control over the entire system.

He continued, "In March last year, we launched our crackdown against cheating in exams. After months of effort, we busted seven gangs, each operating independently. These gangs were backed by a private school mafia involving government staff, exam boards, and teachers."

Rana Sikandar Hayat also mentioned that private staff members at exam centers were caught red-handed, charging up to Rs.10,000 to solve papers for students. "After months of hard work, we focused on legal reforms. The Lahore Board has already started implementing them, and other boards are following suit."

He further explained, "The people we caught were running networks to facilitate cheating through social media and other digital platforms. Despite filing cases, many managed to escape because there were no laws to address digital cheating. Now, we've closed all those loopholes."

"From now on, anyone caught cheating will go straight to jail, and there will be no bail in such cases," he added.

Teacher associations have welcomed the enforcement of stricter anti-cheating laws.