Cheating racket busted in Landikotal

LANDIKOTAL: Authorities in Khyber district uncovered organized cheating during matriculation exams, prompting swift action against involved teachers, students and examination staff on Saturday.

Deputy Commissioner Khyber Captain (R) Bilal Shahid Rao told The News that they received intelligence indicating that staff at Government High School Hashimabad were facilitating cheating by solving exam papers in the school library. He said the exam answers were then photocopied and distributed to students appearing in the exams with the help of school staff.

Acting on the tip-off, Assistant Commissioner Fahad Zia, conducted a surprise inspection of the examination hall using a private vehicle to avoid suspicion. During the raid, he discovered Grade 8 students and school teachers solving the ongoing paper, which was then being photocopied and supplied to both private and government school students sitting in the exam.

The assistant commissioner confiscated the photocopied answer sheets and the photocopy machine found in the school’s library. The involved teachers and Grade 8 students were taken into custody.

The deputy commissioner said a report would be sent to the chairman of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Peshawar, the Education Department and the Private Schools Regulatory Authority (PSRA) for necessary disciplinary action.

He said that strict monitoring was being ensured at all examination centers across the district. He added that measures had been taken to eliminate cheating, with assistant commissioners overseeing the process at the tehsil level.

To reinforce these efforts, Section 144 had been imposed throughout the district, he said, adding that under this law, public gatherings near examination halls, the sale and purchase of pocket guides and the use of mobile phones, photocopy machines, and digital devices within exam premises were strictly prohibited.