The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) revealed on Monday that it had taken action against WhatsApp groups in Sindh that are allegedly involved in the leaking of Intermediate examination papers. Even with the efforts being expended by the police to deal with exam cheating, a CTD official stated that, just this morning at 9:35 am, another exam was stolen and leaked to students. The difference this time is that it was not through a WhatsApp group as the norm had been.
According to the CTD Senior Superintendent Police Naveed Khawaja, the WhatsApp groups identified to be involved in the leaking of the Intermediate examinations papers amounted to 15.
According to DIG CTD Amir Farooqui, his department had acted on the information it received about the leaking of exam papers through WhatsApp groups by conducting raids in Karachi, Hyderabad and Mithi.
However, the raids did not yield any arrests. Also, the phone numbers used in the groups were found to have been switched off. He added that there were two people from Gujarat and Rajasthan in India who had been linked to the exam leaking racket. The two suspects are said to have links with an official inside the Mithi’s Education Department. The suspect in Gujarat had been traced using Facebook. Details about the other suspect have not been shared by the police.
Other suspected parties include the former officials of the Karachi board whose involvement with the racket has been on suspicion for a while now.
While incidences of cheating in exams have been there for a long time, the increase in the adoption of technology has made them more common. Besides the use of communication channels such as WhatsApp and Facebook, there are those who use smartphones loaded with the answers to the examination questions. Many are in agreement that this practice has made it almost impossible to find those leaking exam papers and their beneficiaries. With the Counter-Terrorism Department being involved, the days of the exam cheaters are numbered. Using the methods employed in catching terrorists and other such parties, the department will ensure exam cheating is stopped.
