Minister inspects sensitive exam centres

LAHORE:Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat, accompanied by Chairman Task Force for Education Muzammil Mehmood, conducted a surprise visit to sensitive examination centres on Raiwind Road.

They inspected the examination process and took feedback from students regarding the question paper and overall arrangements, particularly concerning the cheating mafia. They also verified students' identities using a 3D bar-code system.

Rana Sikandar also reviewed staff attendance and identification as per the duty roster. He commended the supervisory staff for ensuring smooth arrangements at sensitive centres and stated that the Punjab government introduced the face detection technology, to compete with the cheating mafia.

The minister claimed that Raiwind Road's examination centres were notorious for cheating. “Our measures have curbed the cheating mafia by 90%, ensuring transparency in exams”. He further highlighted that the number of reported cheating cases had dropped significantly from 15-20 cases per day last year to just 2-3 cases this year.

Rana Sikandar emphasised that special monitoring teams were deployed in every district and we had personally inspected examination centres in Daska, Wazirabad, Gujranwala, and Lahore. “We have implemented exam reforms that had not been introduced in the past 77 years. With a 90% reduction in cheating cases compared to last year, we are moving towards a fully transparent examination system. As per the vision of Punjab Chief Minister, by next year, the examination process will be 100% transparent,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Secretary in exercise of the powers conferred under section 4 of the Punjab Essential Services (Maintenance) Act 1958 has directed that superintendents, deputy superintendents, invigilation staff, mobile inspectors, distributing inspectors, resident inspectors, paper setters, head examiners, sub examiners and such other officers/officials engaged in conduct of Annual Examinations of Secondary School Certificate and Higher Secondary School Certificate starting from 4.3.2025 and 29.4.2025 respectively shall remain on duty as per duty roster issued by the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) concerned and shall not depart out from the place of their posting.