PESHAWAR: Police registered cases against 25 candidates on Sunday for allegedly cheating during entrance test for admission to medical and dental colleges of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Police said that cases were lodged on the complaint of relevant officials in the provincial capital against 16 candidates including boys and girls only at Paharhi Pura police station. They were charged under sections 419 and 420 of Pakistan Penal Code.

They said that the candidates were booked for cheating and using electronic gadgets during the test.

Officials privy to development said that apart from ordinary people, a mafia was behind ‘cheating’ during entrance test not only for medical and dental colleges but also in the tests conducted by Public Service Commission, Educational Testing and Evaluation Agency and others for the posts in education, police, secretariat, health and Rescue 1122 etc.

46,612 candidates appear in the test conducted by Etea and KMU

“A mafia involved in it makes arrangements for it and utilises services of highly qualified persons including teachers of medical colleges,” a senior official from higher education department told Dawn.

The official, who wished not to be named, said that the entire test could be taken in five or six minutes if assisted by the mafia. “It is not an issue with Etea but Public Service Commission exams as well,” he added.

He said that the issue was with female candidates, who could not be thoroughly searched for electronic devices due to cultural restraints. Once the idea of installing jammers was floated but that could not be materialised since jammers could not be installed at every centre owing to issues of electricity.

“Apart from power supply issues, we don’t have jammers in the first place. This has to be resolved if you really want to curb cheating and give deserving candidates the opportunity to make it to the final list,” said the official.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by Khyber Medical University (KMU) said that zero tolerance policy was adopted regarding use of electronic gadgets by the candidates during the test. It said that candidates were searched in three steps at the time of entry while also inside the centre with the help of metal detectors.

It said that all the candidates were videotaped and identification of the students was carried out with the help of software. It added that the only reason behind adopting such measures was to provide fair and transparent opportunity to deserving candidates.

The statement said that complaints of using illegal means were reported against more than 25 candidates from various centres across the province. It added that necessary disciplinary and legal action would be taken against all the candidates under relevant laws.

“In the light of the directions issued by the government, it has been decided to take legal action against the candidates, who brought electronic device to the centre,” the statement quoted KMU Vice-chancellor Prof Dr Ziaul Haq as saying.

“Papers of such candidates will be deemed cancelled. They will be banned from appearing in any Etea test for the next two years,” he said.

A total of 46,612 candidates participated in the entrance test for public and private medical and dental colleges in the province. The test was organised by Etea and KMU at 43 different locations in 11 cities of the province.

The statement said that strict security measures were adopted on the occasion to maintain law and order and prevent duplication. Walk-through gates were installed at the entrances of all centres while people entering the centres were also searched through metal detectors. The personnel of bomb disposal unit were also deputed at the centres.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2023