THIS is apropos of the letter ‘Illiterate literates’ (April 17) by Akber D. Vazir. The issue raised by the writer is an eye-opener for all of us. The generation that is coming up as a result of cheating in examinations is bound to have its effects.

During my service, I had to recruit 82 technicians for establishing manufacturing facilities for hi-tech avionics equipment at one of the factories of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra.

To accomplish this job, I had to personally visit, with my team, all the four provinces of the country. While interviewing a candidate — a so-called electronic engineer with a degree from one of the universities in the south — surprised me when he couldn’t answer even the most basic questions regarding electronics.

On my insistence he opened up and admitted he had purchased that degree in the open market. I couldn’t believe my ears. If people like him were recruited, how could the factory succeed in manufacturing the above-mentioned hi-tech equipment?

One thing that really intrigued me after going through the letter was that the students appearing in the board examinations were freely copying using books, phones, iPads, etc., and the invigilators took no notice. And, to top it all, TV cameras were also recording all this. Has anybody taken any action against the erring staff?

When I was young and a student of Class VIII in Government High School No. 2, Kohat, I used to see police sitting outside the examination hall with handcuffs ready in their hands when the examinations for Class X were held.

I failed to understand the utility of the police outside the examination hall. But later it dawned upon me that the arrangement was to apprehend anybody engaged in cheating and to cancel his candidature.

But there used to be hardly any case of cheating in those times. And now it is a free for all. Where are we headed? What type of future generation are we producing? Will such a generation lead Pakistan to progress and prosperity? I think my generation was much better and I am proud of it.

Air-Cdre (r) Azfar A. Khan
Rawalpindi

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2015

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