Faisalabad board suspends exam staff over cheating complaints

FAISALABAD: The Faisalabad education board has suspended several examination officials after surprise inspections found alleged negligence and facilitation of unfair means at examination centres, according to a board spokesperson.

Education Board Faisalabad Secretary Dr Saleem Taqi Shah carried out unannounced visits to different examination centres as part of what the board described as a drive against cheating networks and to protect the transparency of the examination system. During the inspections, staff at multiple centres were allegedly found involved in lapses and in helping malpractice during examinations.

The board said the superintendent, deputy superintendent and four supervisory staff members of Centre 262 were suspended on the spot. The deputy superintendent of Centre 269 in Abbaspur was also suspended. The secretary has also sent recommendations to the competent authority seeking strict departmental proceedings against the suspended officials under the PEEDA Act.

According to the spokesperson, the action followed complaints about irregularities and assistance in cheating during exams. The board said monitoring had been intensified at all examination centres to ensure implementation of examination rules and to deter malpractice.

Speaking during the inspections, Dr Shah said a broad strategy had been put in place to eliminate the booty mafia and maintain fairness and transparency in examinations across the division. He said strict oversight and enforcement had made cheating networks no longer visible inside or outside examination centres.

Referring to the provincial government's policy, Dr Shah said: