KOHAT, June 7: A large number of complaints of cheating has been reported from most of the examination centres during the ongoing intermediate exams due to serious violation of rules and nepotism in assigning duties to examiners, Dawn has learnt.

To cater to a large number of examination centres in Kohat, Hangu, Darra Adam Khel, Orakzai and Kurram agencies, and Karak district, the Kohat Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education has hired retired teachers, physical training instructors and even Qaris who have no invigilation experience.

The chairman of the Kohat BISE, on the other hand, refuses to accept responsibility for the situation or for the unusual hiring and held the controller of examination responsible for the reported complaints.

Kohat BISE controller Khurshid Ali Khan, who hails from Bannu district, had been recently granted three-year extension in service apparently because of his contacts with the Chief Minister’s House.

Some officials in the BISE confided to Dawn that there had been a lot of complaints against the controller and it was expected that he would be replaced but the provincial education department had given him a three-year extension.

According to rules if a kin of a serving BISE staff member appears in an examination he is supposed to take leave and is not allowed to even attend office or sign any paper during the whole examination schedule. He is made an OSD.

Presently two senior officials of the BISE whose son and nephew are appearing in the second year examination are performing their duties as usual and assigning duties to the staff.