A committee, appointed by Sindh Chief Minister Justice (Retd) Maqbool Baqar, has unveiled a series of exam result tampering cases and financial irregularities within the Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi (BIEK). The comprehensive report, submitted to the CM Secretariat, outlines instances of tampering in the HSC Annual Examination 2022, particularly in the pre-medical science groups, where students’ marks were altered by cutting and increasing them almost uniformly in the award lists. The committee has identified 31 students and provided their codes in the attached list.
The inquiry aimed at investigating allegations of financial irregularities, scrutinizing manipulation in annual exam results, holding accountable the involved officers/officials, and proposing preventive measures to avoid future incidents. In the examination result manipulation section, the committee utilized a random sampling method to examine Pre-Engineering and Pre-Medical groups in HSC Annual Examinations of 2021, 2022, and 2023.
The focus was on A-1 Grade results from the top six colleges, selected based on their highest number of students passing in A-1 Grades from both groups. The scrutiny involved a total of 180 candidates, including the top 10 candidates from each of the three years. Further, the details of total approved scrutiny cases of Pre-Medical and Pre-Engineering Groups for the years of 2021 and 2022 are tabled down. It may be noted that about scrutiny cases of HSC Annual Examination 2023, BIE Karachi apprised that scrutiny of 601 cases including 191 cases of pre-medical and 165 of pre-engineering in the examination of 2021, and 132 cases of pre-medical and 122 cases of pre-engineering of 2022 examination were process.
As to the method of selection of cases out of the total 601 cases, the inquiry committee used random sampling based on A-1 Grade getting a raise of more than 10 marks after scrutiny/ re-totaling. Thus, 23 samples, including nine of pre-medical and four of pre-engineering of 2021 examination and seven cases of pre-medical and three cases of pre-engineering have been drawn up for examination: The inquiry committee recorded the statements of BIEK officials include Assistant Controller Examination (Retd), Muhammad Shafi, Assistant Controller Examinations Muhammad Shakil Ahmed and Iqbal Hussain and Audit officer Zahid Lakho, Section Head Pre-Engineering Section Muhammad Shahzad, Deputy Controller Examination Mrs. Zarina Rashid, Superintendent, In charge Pre-Medical Section Muhammad Athar, Controller Examination Anwar Aleem K Rajput, Deputy Controller Examination Zahid Rasheed, Controller Examination Zaheeruddin Bhutto, Secretary BIEK Kashif Siddqui, Deputy Controller Examination (Pre-Medical Section) Athar Saeed, Deputy Secretary (Admin & Gen.) Azeem Siddique, Ex-Secretary Imran Chishti, then Chairman BIEKDr. Saeddudin. Findings of Inquiry Committee: The committee has discovered various facts as follows: Various cases of tampering in award lists have been discovered in pre-medical Science Groups HSC Annual examination 2022.
The marks of students in various subjects were increased with almost the same/ unified number by cutting the marks in the award list. The committee has attached the list of the copies. Further, the assessment of list of scrutiny cases of HSC Annual Examinations 2021 and 2022 discovered an unusual increase in marks of students in both pre-engineering and pre-medical groups. The Secretary U&B constituted the inquiry committee against the mismanagement and maladministration in the HSC-I&II Annual Exam 2022 at BIEK. The committee submitted its report in May 2023.
The committee found several overwriting/ cutting in scripts, award lists, and tabulation registers. Moreover, the committee recommended the following: That Engr. Anwar Aleem Rajput, ex-controller examination was cautioned for future discharge of duties in a befitting manner due to lapses to keep a vigilant check on concerned junior officials. That no penalty was imposed on Aslam Chohan because he was retired from the BIEK.That Abdul Haris Farooqi and Muhammad Athar were recommended for withholding of one annual increment for one year and they might not be posted in examination department for period of three years. Syed Tanveer Abbas Zaidi, ex-superintendent pre-medical section was already awarded punishment of not being posted in the examination department for a period of le withholding one increment because he admitted his wrongdoings.
