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This summer has brought on a nightmare for students across Pakistan and a PR bloodbath for the Cambridge examinations board. Its Mathematics paper leaked hours before hundreds of thousands of teenagers were supposed to attempt it across the country on April 29. The memes were eviscerating: Next time, print out the leaked .pdf and when the invigilator hands you the question paper, say, ‘It’s OK, I’ve brought my own’.
In truth, though, no one was laughing. “It was a bit of doom and gloom,” said Lahore student Hamza Nasir*, describing the mood outside the hall after his AS Level Mathematics P1 exam. Some students who had no idea about the leak were livid and others were celebrating its veracity.
This is the third time leaks have ruined exam season. Each year, in May-June and November, Pakistani students sit for the Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) exams in subjects that range from English Literature to Islamiyat. Grades 10 and 11 prepare for the Ordinary or O Levels and grades 12 and 13 sit the Advanced Subsidiary or AS and Advanced Levels. Results are announced by August and tie in with university admissions.
The CAIE reported the cases to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016. “The theft and unauthorised sharing of examination papers is a breach of confidentiality and, potentially, criminal breach of trust,” said CAIE to Dawn. “We’re investigating both incidents thoroughly through digital forensics, analysis of online platforms, and cooperation with law enforcement.”
