LAHORE: The Lahore Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) has begun a probe into recent cases of impersonation and cheating in matriculation examinations.

It also says that the involvement of the staffers concerned in malpractices cannot be ruled out since the cases detected in recent days, including five on Saturday, require in-depth investigations in order to make the system transparent in line with the BISE code of conduct and the government policies.

The BISE administration on Friday had two impersonators and three others arrested on charges of impersonation and cheating in English paper of the secondary school certificate (SSC) supplementary examinations-2016.

The cases were detected after Controller (Examinations) Prof Nasir Jamil inspected a centre at Government Pilot Secondary School (Wahdat Road) where Muhammad Aqeel and Muhammad Saleem were impersonating Muazam Ali (Roll No 130108) and Muhammad Tariq (Roll No 130123), respectively.

After getting the FIRs lodged, both the impersonators and the candidates, who were standing outside were handed over to Iqbal Town police. The unfair means cases (UMCs) were also registered by the board against Muhammad Rauf (Roll No.130154), Ali Hassan, (Roll No.130058) and Muhammad Waseem (Roll No.130162) after they were caught cheating red-handed.

“A couple of days back, we had also caught some impersonators and cheaters at a centre in Kasur and Raiwind as well. And after finding such cases, I think something happened wrong may be on the part of the board’s own officials. And if it is proved that the photos of candidates have been replaced with those of impersonators, I can say that the board officials are responsible for this,” BISE Chairman Prof Chaudhry Muhammad Ismael told Dawn on Friday.

When asked how the candidates managed wrongdoing in the exams in a ‘foolproof system’ as claimed by the board, the chairman said though it was almost impossible, the board teams would see all such things in depth.

“We will have to see in depth that at which level photos of the candidates were changed (if proved during inquiries). And we will also see if the photos of candidates on the original admission forms are intact, how did impersonators manage to deceive the invigilators/examiners. And it can only happen if an impersonator’s face resembles the candidate’s or the checkers cleared him/her intentionally for vested interest,” he said.

Mr Ismael said he would make all-out efforts to eliminate such practices by taking stern action against those involved in the crime.

“Keeping in view these issues, I think various matters in the Lahore board are required to be streamlined on a priority basis. And you will see changes in near future,” the chairman claimed.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2016