A-Level exam leak allegations put future of bright students at risk: NA body

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Friday raised alarm over the alleged leaking of Cambridge University’s Advanced Level (A-Level) examination papers in Pakistan, warning it has put the academic futures of bright students in jeopardy.

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal Education met at the education ministry with Dr Azimuddin Zahid Lakhvi in the chair. The members said there were alleged reports that four question papers had been leaked and were available on various WhatsApp groups.

They said reports alleged that the question papers were available for sale a day before the exam and were sold for dollars.

MNA from Faisalabad Mohammad Ali Sarfraz, who attended the meeting as a special invitee, informed the committee about the leaked papers. He said leaking of papers had put future of shining students at risk.

“My own daughter, who has excellent academic record, was crying after one of the papers as some other students got the question paper in advance and 100pc same questions appeared in the exam,” he said and showed a video of alleged leaked papers to the members.

The committee said the alleged reports about leak of four question papers had raised serious concerns among students and parents as they pay heavy exam fees to Cambridge.

Executive Director (ED) Inter-Board Coordination Commission (IBCC) Dr Ghulam Ali Mallah said IBCC had received reports about the leak of question papers. He, however, said that Cambridge did not provide required information to IBCC, which was a regulatory body. He said every year around 150000 students appear in Cambridge exams and they deserve transparency.

He requested the committee to form a subcommittee to look into the issue as parents and students were showing their grave concerns.

Dr Mallah said that in the past Cambridge used to conduct exams through British Council only, but now they are also conducting exams through schools. He said IBCC was not in favour of conducting exams through schools.

The committee stated that the incident had raised questions on the integrity of the examination process of Cambridge University in Pakistan. The committee urged Cambridge University and relevant authorities to address these critical concerns promptly. The committee directed Cambridge to ensure that remaining papers are not leaked.

After showing grave concerns, the committee formed a subcommittee to discuss the matter and draw recommendations and submit a report in 30 days.

The subcommittee will ascertain under whose authority and legal framework Cambridge University operates in Pakistan. The committee demanded transparency regarding the regulatory oversight governing these examinations to ensure accountability. Additionally, Cambridge University must disclose what remedial measures it had taken in the past to address similar leaks and whether those measures were effective in preventing future breaches.

Most urgently, the committee stated that steps must be taken to protect affected students from bearing the consequences of the negligence. The committee called for possible solutions including re-conducting the compromised papers under enhanced security, adjusting grading methodologies to account for the irregularity and offering supplementary examination opportunities. Cambridge University must also provide a clear and binding commitment to strengthen examination security, investigate the leak thoroughly, and implement stringent measures to prevent recurrence.

The incident highlighted the need to strengthen Pakistan’s own examination boards. The government and educational authorities should invest in modernising assessment systems, pursue international accreditation for local boards and establish robust mechanisms to restore public trust and reduce dependency on foreign examination systems.

Earlier, Country Director of Cambridge Assessment International Education Uzma Yousuf avoided a direct question about paper leakage. She did not share details that how many question papers had been leaked, but said Cambridge had been conducting exams in 160 countries and it had a secured system.

When she was pressed by the committee members to focus only on the paper leak issue, she said since exams were ongoing, the members will be provided with complete details after June 16. “Why we are assuming that [leaking happened].”

Later, she provided a copy of a press release to Dawn, stating: “We are aware of alleged leaks of specific exam questions and we fully understand the concerns and frustration these claims cause students and their families. We would like to re-assure you that our legal compliance teams urgently investigate all evidence thoroughly so that results are fair.”

It also claimed, “We have seen a significant amount of fake information, including scam circulation on social media…we don’t comment on specific allegations during exams series, we don’t want to distract students at an important time.”

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2025