Please for stay on exam hall transfers rejected

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court rejected the Kohat Board's request for an interim injunction on a writ petition challenging the transfer of private school examination halls to government school halls and adjourned further hearings.

During the proceedings, Justice Syed Arshad Ali remarked that the Assistant Commissioner would not be allowed to enter the examination halls. A two-member bench, comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Khurshid Iqbal, heard the petition.

The petitioner's lawyer argued that the Kohat Board had merged the examination halls of government and private schools, whereas they were previously separate. With matriculation exams set to begin on April 8, this decision posed significant challenges. On this occasion, Kohat Board Chairman Imtiaz Ayub informed the court that, under the Board Act, the Education Board has full authority over examination arrangements. He explained that examination halls had been set up across five districts—Kohat, Kurram, Hangu, and Orakzai—with 319 halls established in government institutions to accommodate 100,000 matric candidates.

He further stated that 250 private institutions existed, many of which did not meet the required criteria, for which the board had evidence. He added that even supplementary exams had been conducted in government halls. To curb cheating, the board deemed this step necessary, as cheating mafias were actively involved, often bringing outsiders to sit for exams on behalf of actual students. He claimed that a private school had been caught engaging in this malpractice, and the court could investigate further. According to him, these mafias operated systematically, controlling exam halls to facilitate fraud.