Peshawar - Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry on Sunday took strict notice of attempts to use unfair means in Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT).
The aspiring candidates were found trying to use Bluetooth-enabled pocket-sized devices connected to micro earpieces during the examination.
Due to strict instructions and supervision of invigilating staff, over 40 students were apprehended before entry into examination halls and within various tests centres.
The electronic gadgets were confiscated and the candidature of the students in question was also cancelled.
The Chief Secretary ordered police and Special Branch to conduct thorough investigations into the matter and interrogate the students, their parents, and others to uncover the network behind it and take appropriate legal action against them. Furthermore, the Chief Secretary emphasised that no leniency should be shown to anyone, including government officials, found to be connected to this misconduct.
In a bid to prevent such incidents in future, the Chief Secretary directed IT Board and Higher Education Department officials to collaborate with experts to develop strategies to deter use of unfair means.
46k students participate in MDCAT KP exams
More than 46,000 students participated in the ETEA (Educational Testing and Evaluation Agency) MDCAT (Medical and Dental College Admission Test) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Sunday.
According to officials, the ETEA established 44 test centres throughout the province, including 22 in Peshawar, to facilitate the examination process.
This move aimed to ensure fairness and transparency in the admission process for medical colleges.
In a significant step towards preventing cheating through modern technology, authorities confiscated electronic devices used for transmission during the exams.
Anila Mahfooz Durrani, the Secretary of Higher Education, emphasised the need for transparency in MDCAT exams and the apprehension of individuals involved in unfair practices.
It was reported that a clandestine group was using Bluetooth devices to aid students in solving test questions.
Anila Mahfooz Durrani said that these Bluetooth devices were hidden in students’ ears to covertly transmit answers during the exam.
Students were found attempting to sneak out exam papers using these Bluetooth devices, with some reportedly paying large sums of money for the illicit assistance.
Authorities were alerted to this misconduct, leading to swift action by the Higher Education Department.
Upon receiving the information, senior officials of the ETEA were notified. As a result, special checks were enforced at all exam centres across the province during entry times.
During these checks, staff members discovered several individuals with Bluetooth devices activated on their phones, which were linked to hidden Bluetooth earpieces.
In the course of these events, numerous students were apprehended, and the police were called in to handle the situation.
Anila Mahfooz Durrani confirmed that the answer sheets of the implicated students were invalidated as a consequence of their involvement in the cheating scandal.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced in maintaining the integrity of educational assessments and the ongoing efforts to combat cheating and unfair practices in the admissions process.
