Punjab Education Minister suspends BISE Lahore’s chairman and examination controller

LAHORE: Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat suspended the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Lahore’s Chairman and Controller of Examination on Saturday following surprise visits to exam centers throughout Lahore.

The surprise visits covered various colleges and schools in Lahore, where the education minister’s team found instances of exam hall staff aiding students in cheating.

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In the wake of the scandal, the Chairman and Controller of Examinations of the BISE Lahore were suspended due to a “lack of transparency” during exams, although specific details were not disclosed.

Hayat stated that this step was necessary to ensure transparency in board exams.

The minister’s team had previously recorded instances of staff aiding students in cheating, while the subsequent surprise visits were conducted as part of a strict crackdown on “cheating groups.”

According to reports, staff aiding in cheating were charging students substantial fees, demanding up to Rs4,000 for their ‘assistance’. Several students who refused to comply with these demands reportedly faced harassment.

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The minister also revealed other concerning issues, such as appointing 15-year-old students as exam supervisors or people from different schools falsely assuming supervisor roles during board exams.

The minister said that First Information Reports (FIR) were expected to be filed against the accused.