February 21, 2002	Thursday	Zilhaj 8, 1422

KARACHI, Feb 20: The committee which looked into allegations of malpractices in the test for admission to medical colleges, conducted by the Institute of Business Administration, has recommended the setting up of an Examination Testing Authority to overcome this problem.

The committee, headed by Brig S. A. Nasir, was of the view that since a large number of tests/exams were conducted, it was felt that an autonomous body be created forthwith, as had been done in other provinces. It would be self- financed and the modalities of its creation might be worked out at an appropriate level.

The recommendation was contained in the report which has been placed on record of a division bench of the Sindh High Court, hearing petitions against the IBA tests. Many paragraphs were cited by counsel from both the sides during the hearing on Wednesday.

The following are the excerpts of that report obtained by Dawn.

“Vide governor’s Secretariat letter No GS/8-12/2001 (SO-I) 1462 of 13 December 2001, it has been desired that expeditious enquiry be conducted by Chairman, Governor’s Inspection, Enquiries & Implementation Team, into the irregularities committed during the 2nd Test, pertaining to Medical Colleges Entrance Test, conducted under the supervision of IBA Karachi, on 15 Nov 2001.

“The irregularities were detected through a letter of Ms Kavita D/o Gotam Das from Tharparkar to Governor Sindh that three students with dubious academic record, also from Tharparkar, had managed to pass the above said Test by alleged replacement of their mark sheets. Subsequently there was no end to eaves-dropping. One report went to allege to the extent that a candidate was declared passed whereas he had not even taken the test. It was found incorrect. Similarly on the receipt of certain complaints by Secretary Health, it was informed that answer of three questions i.e. question 2, 8 and 15 were changed in the KEY, being wrong, which affected over-all merit list.

“Allocation of Seats: The District Merit Seats for candidates domiciled in Sindh as under, as per Notification No SO(ME) 1-1/AP/2001-2002 dated: 24th Sept 2001.

Sr No District Seats

1. Karachi 414

2. Hyderabad 111

3. Sukkur 23

4. Ghotki 22

5. Shikarpur 29

6. Larkana 50

7. Dadu 44

8. Jocobabad 33

9. Khairpur 35

10. Nawabshah 32

11. Naushero Feroze 36

12. Mirpur Khas 32

13. Tharparkar 21

14. Sanghar 35

15. Thatta 33

16. Badin 32

“In addition to it, Reserved seats are 9, self-finance seats are 181.

“It was unofficially brought to the notice of Enquiry Committee on 13 Dec (the day it was constituted) that manipulation had been detected in case of 34 mark sheets only, by Director IBA and IBA staff. The issue subsequently was commented and scandalized in major dailies. The matter was placed before Acting Governor who decided that results of 2nd Test should be cancelled and 3rd Test should be conducted under Army supervision, during 4th week of December.

“It was generally opined as obtained from press that for involvement of merely 34 candidates or even up to 100 candidates whose cases had been detected, the entire lot of 5426 were being subjected to avoidable hardship. Since the pressure outside was being developed, it was therefore felt prudent that an INTERIM REPORT be submitted to Health Minister, Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary to Governor to diffuse the situation immediately. If the involved candidates were as many as noted above, Third Test was not a necessity, it would be irrelevant and add to further hardship on one hand and embarrassment to Government of Sindh and IBA due to our poor appraisement.

“A meeting was again held at Governor’s House on 15 Dec to debate and guide the process of enquiry. It was, however, apparently due to strong pressure of candidates, assembled at the gates of Governor’s House, that Acting Governor announced:

a. Results of 2nd Test held on 15 November will be considered final.

b. Chairman, Governor’s Inspection, Enquiries & Implementation Team, will further thoroughly scrutinise the result sheets by the IBA staff and respective Principals of Hyderabad, Larkana etc., during Eid holidays (16-19 Dec) to arrive at the correct figures of replaced/tempered mark sheets. Enquiry report will be submitted by 22 Dec and results announced on 24 Dec 2001.

c. Identify the corrupt staff of IBA who indulged in the irregularities/ tempering etc.

“The entire lot of mark sheets were thereafter repeatedly scrutinised by a joint scrutiny committee which certified that results of only 35 candidates had been suspect e.g. 24 from Karachi Centre, 11 from Hyderabad Centre. There was thus an addition of one more case to the previous report of 34.

“Principal DOW Medical College was advised that in consultation with concerned principals, the observation that three questions i.e. 2, 8 and 15 whose answers were disputed be taken note of and Mr Abdul Hameed Khan of IBA was informed to substantiate before finalisation of results.

“Interestingly out 35 cases, 24 are girls (Karachi out of 24 - 20 are girls, Hyderabad out of 11 - 4 are girls).

“19 December 2001 - meeting: It was attended under chairman - Governor’s Inspection, Enquiries & Implementation Team, by Director IBA, Principal Dow Medical College, GM (Admn) IBA, Mr Abdul Hameed of IBA, Mr Haseeb, DSP Airport, Mr Akhlaq Ahmed of G. I. Team (co-opted member). All aspects of case were appraised to arrive at solutions. It was established that results as compiled through 2nd Test should be confirmed as final and since justification to hold 3rd Test did not exist as such decision should be dropped. It was decided that the final grading list should be prepared by IBA and handed over to Secretary Health to be placed on respective notice boards on 24th December. The chair directed DSP Airport to raid or detain the following accused/suspects of IBA whose names were provided by Mr Abdul Hameed, from now till next day for interrogation: a. Mr Tariq Jamal - LDC; b. Mr Aamir Hanif - UDC; c. Mr Asim Majeed - Asst to Testing Dept.; d. Mr Ayaz Ahmed - Controller for Computer Studies; e. Mr Nauman Siddiqui - LDC; f. Mr Nusrat Hasan - Office Assistant

Institute of Business Administration: “In the context of this enquiry IBA had conducted the Tests, but was not itself affected by the test results. The department affected is that of Health, Government of Sindh, which is answerable to the candidates.

“IBA for a long period of time remained under the control of one personality and as such its entire systems in its orientation has been personalised, to his whims and fancies. The management which was not worth its name, had therefore been operated by a mafia of lower staff and adhocry. Although Dr Javed Ashraf, Director IBA, was gradually trying to put the systems on rails, had problems in carrying out a surgery.

“No action had been pursued for the failure of first test due to in- effective handling at Dept of Health, Govt of Sindh, Director - IBA and Mr Abdul Hameed, who was incharge of Testing.

“Mr Abdul Hameed: He is Coordinator Testing Service of IBA, who independently dealt with the entire spectrum of Testing within or for outside institutions. He simultaneous resigned/asked for resignation by Director on 31 October 2001, after cancellation of 1st Test, held on 28 Oct 2001. His resignation has now been accepted pending arrival of a suitable replacement.

“The interrogation cleared culprits referred above from c to f and obtained the modus operandi from culprit-1, and culprit-2. Broadly Mr Asim Majeed and Mr Aamir Hanif both of IBA in collusion with an outsider (now absconder) Aamir Iftikhar, arrived at a deal to replace the answer sheets of those candidates whose parents had agreed to pay them Rs100,000/- etc. They had made bogus stamps, for making their design foolproof. The interrogation of accused persons has verified that they had replaced mark sheets of 35 only. One mark sheet was also taken away for reproducing bogus 35 sheets.

“Opinion: Notwithstanding corrupt practices, within IBA, the degree of manipulation, doctoring, cheating or rigging has been within an accepted tolerance limits i.e. 0.8%. After the elimination of 35 suspect result sheets, by virtue of which respective candidates will be dropped, the result thence made public is expected to be over 99% correct.

“Therefore it rules out repeating the Entrance test and Test results of 2nd Test, as prepared by IBA and scrutinised by Principal DOW Medical College, Principals LMU and Chandka Medical Colleges be declared as final.

“Recommendations: Final list of candidates prepared by IBA on 2nd Test held on 15 November 2001 has been further scrutinised by Principals Dow, Liaquat Medical University and Chandka Medical Colleges which may now be declared as correct of declaration by Secretary Health on 24 December 2001.”

Action in IBA: “a. The following accused persons against who the FIR is already lodge in Mubina Town Police Station, be followed up: (1) Mr Aamir Hanif - UDC; (2) Mr Asim Majeed.

“They should be suspended forthwith from service. The remaining suspects being released may also be weeded out. Since there is already an FIR lodged against them as such the law will take course on their conviction.

“Action against involved candidates: Since there are 24 girl candidates out of 35 candidates, prosecution is therefore not considered advisable. However, it is recommended that rules in vogue for using UNFAIR means may be applied against all 35 candidates.”