Paper leaks on social media criminalised

Students to face jail for online paper leaks; BISEs ban phones in exam centres

RAWALPINDI:

All educational boards throughout Punjab have issued a strict warning ahead of the Matriculation and Intermediate annual examinations scheduled to begin later this month, stating that sharing question papers on social media — whether via WhatsApp, Facebook or X (formerly Twitter) — constitutes a serious criminal offence.

Officials warned that violators may face the registration of an FIR, with penalties including up to three years' imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs50,000.

A spokesperson for the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Rawalpindi said that under the Punjab University and Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education Malpractices Act, 1950, such actions are legally punishable.

The spokesperson emphasised that no breach of examination regulations will be tolerated in order to safeguard the transparency and integrity of the examination system.

Students have also been strictly prohibited from bringing mobile phones into examination centres. Taking photographs or recording videos of question papers and circulating them through digital platforms has been categorically banned.

Authorities reiterated that anyone found violating the law could face up to three years in prison and a fine of Rs50,000. Students have been urged to strictly comply with examination rules to ensure a fair and transparent testing environment.