ETEA paper leaked in Bannu

PESHAWAR: In a surprising incident that has raised concerns about the Educational Testing and Evaluation Agency (ETEA) exam system in KP, a cheating group was caught during a raid on a private hujra in Bannu.

During the raid, the original question papers of the day’s ETEA test, solved answer sheets were found. The raid, conducted by district officials and police, revealed a planned attempt to cheat and influence merit-based hiring.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur took swift action and ordered a high-level investigation into the matter.

Following the raid, images began circulating on social media allegedly showing individuals solving ETEA papers inside the residence of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Public Health Engineering, Malik Pukhtun Yar Khan. The visuals sparked a massive backlash, with users demanding accountability and calling for the minister’s resignation.

In response, Malik Pukhtun Yar Khan issued a strong denial claiming he had no involvement in the matter and termed the entire episode a “political conspiracy” by rivals to tarnish his image. He called for a fair and transparent inquiry to bring the facts to light.

Acting on intelligence provided by Bannu Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Faheem, Assistant Commissioner Allah Nawaz Khan, accompanied by police, raided the hujra at around 9:30am on Saturday. The premises, located within the jurisdiction of Mera Khel Police Station, were being used to illegally solve papers for the ETEA screening test for teaching positions, which was underway across the province at the time.

During the raid, the original question papers of the day’s ETEA test, solved answer sheets, a laptop and a computer system used to process the material and a printer allegedly used to reproduce test content were found. Ten suspects present at the scene were arrested on the spot and immediately handed over to police for legal action. Authorities believe the suspects were part of a wider network operating to manipulate test results for monetary or political gain. ETEA officials were promptly notified to initiate internal accountability and safeguard the remaining examination processes.

KP Chief Minister Gandapur responded swiftly, calling the incident a “blatant and unforgivable violation of merit and transparency.” In a formal directive issued through the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, the KP chief secretary has been instructed to launch a high-level investigation into the scandal.

A senior officer — or group of officers — is to be appointed to conduct a comprehensive probe, reviewing not just the immediate events but also systemic vulnerabilities in ETEA’s examination process. The committee has been given a strict deadline of 15 days to submit its report, which must identify all responsible parties and recommend strong disciplinary and legal measures.

Furthermore, the CM emphasized that the inquiry should also evaluate ETEA’s internal protocols and security systems to identify weaknesses that could allow such breaches to occur. In a parallel move, the Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education has been directed to conduct a district-wise reassessment of examination protocols. Officers are to be deployed to ensure strict supervision, coordination with ETEA, and active involvement of district administrations to prevent the recurrence of such malpractice.

Bannu deputy commissioner issued a formal statement, emphasising that the raid was carried out strictly under the directives of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to ensure transparency in competitive exams and eliminate cheating networks.

According to the statement, the raid occurred at the Manwarzad Guesthouse near Ismail Khel Adda, where a system was allegedly set up to solve and transmit ETEA test material to candidates inside exam halls. Authorities emphasized that misinformation is being spread by certain elements linking the operation to local political figures without evidence. The public was urged not to believe in baseless rumors and to support efforts to maintain transparency and fairness in all recruitment tests.

According to the ETEA spokesperson, action will be taken to the fullest extent against any individual or group involved in robbing deserving and hardworking candidates of their rights.

“No one will ever be able to fulfill their dream of becoming a government servant through the use of mobile phones or Bluetooth devices,” the spokesperson said.

He further added that linking the provincial minister to the entire incident is completely baseless and false.