LAHORE: Punjab Food Minister Bilal Yasin says no centre for the board of intermediate and secondary education (BISE) exams will be established in any private school or college in the future while a barcode and a watermark would be printed on all the papers and invigilating staff shall not be posted in any centre for more than two days.

He said a centre would not be established for less than 500 students while instead of schools located in narrow streets, the centres would be established in open areas.

He said there would be effective monitoring of examination centres through CCTV cameras and special branch officers.

Mr Yasin was presiding over the meeting of the ministerial committee investigating the cheating scam in the matriculation exams of BISEs while Minister for Local Government Zeeshan Rafique, officers of home department, Higher Education Department and Special Branch were present. The HED secretary gave a briefing on Tuesday.

The Punjab government’s inquiry committee recommended strict action against the staff involved in malpractices. It submitted its recommendations and report with reference to cheating and corruption in the matriculation examinations in the province.

The report revealed cases were registered against 64 people involved in corruption while 56 arrests had been made.

Similarly, 9,700 supervisory, examination and monitoring staff members were removed from immediate responsibilities and action under the Peeda Act was being taken against 280 supervisory staff involved in the scam.

The meeting was informed that unfair means cases had been proceeded against 504 students who committed cheating.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2024