The government says Cambridge will strengthen security measures after repeated discussions about exam papers
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi will chair the meeting on 25 June. Photo: Ministry of the Interior website/ File
The Home Office on Thursday directed the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to conduct a thorough investigation, in coordination with Cambridge International Education (CIE), into the alleged leak of exam papers during the ongoing Cambridge assessments.
The development came a day after Cambridge confirmed the leak of another A-Level Mathematics paper that had allegedly circulated online ahead of the exam. The institution said it was working to determine the extent of the breach and decide the next course of action.
In response to the dispute, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Education Minister Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Interior Minister Muhammad Khurram Agha a high-level meeting of the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control to review the matter.
Read: Cambridge confirms 2nd leak of A-level Mathematics paper, postpones May 15 exam
According to a statement issued by the ministry, the Secretary of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training (MoFE&PT) briefed the participants on concerns raised by the government and parents regarding what the statement described as “the alleged leak of Cambridge O Level Mathematics examination papers”.
During the meeting, the British Deputy High Commissioner told the participants that the case appeared to involve theft rather than an actual paper leak.
“CAIE representatives reiterated that Cambridge maintains strict standards to ensure transparency and integrity in the conduct of investigations,” the statement said.
The statement added that the secretary of MoFE&PT also raised concerns regarding reports of another exam paper leak and sought Cambridge’s official position on the issue in view of the anxiety faced by students and parents.
Cambridge representatives assured the forum that an official update would be shared at the earliest.
The statement further said the home minister expressed “serious concern” over the alleged leak of examination papers and stressed the need for coordinated and effective measures for an early resolution of the matter.
“He directed DG NCCIA to conduct a thorough investigation in coordination with Cambridge,” the statement said, adding that he also stressed the strict implementation of decisions taken during the meeting and timely sharing of investigation findings to ensure transparency and maintain public confidence.
Read more: The government is taking notice after another Cambridge Maths paper is allegedly leaked
“It was also decided that Cambridge would further strengthen its system capacity to address weaknesses and loopholes in the examination process,” the statement added.
A and O level examinations under the Cambridge system are currently held across the country for the May-June session.
Just days after the cancellation of an A-Level Mathematics paper due to a leak, another Cambridge Mathematics exam was reportedly circulated online on Monday, a day before it was scheduled to be held.
The following day, Cambridge confirmed that another A-Level Mathematics paper had been leaked ahead of the exam, and said it was assessing the extent of the breach and determining next steps.
Subsequently, Cambridge Cambridge International postponed AS Level Mathematics Paper 32 (9709), which was scheduled to take place in Pakistan on Friday.
According to students, the math paper scheduled for May 12 in the afternoon had started circulating on social media hours before the exam began. Candidates claimed that when they entered the examination hall, they were handed the same paper which had been shown online earlier.
The federal government had also taken note of the matter earlier, with Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui expressing concern over repeated paper leaks.
Earlier, a Cambridge A-Level Mathematics paper conducted on April 29 was also leaked, prompting authorities to announce a retest.
Following the incident, the CIE announced the cancellation of the AS Level Mathematics (9709/12) exam for students in administrative zones 3 and 4 after the question was leaked. The violation of the examination regulations led to the decision not to use the paper for final assessment results.
During the ongoing exam session, some other papers were also reported to be partially leaked.
