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Examinations Booti mafia is back
Booti mafia makes a comeback
| Lahore, Nov 03: Two different incidents of massive cheating during the recent
supplementary examinations of intermediate and BA/BSC are evident of the fact
that the powerful booti mafia has re-emerged in the province with the help of
its strong connections. |
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In the first incident, as many as 12 people were
caught red handed for appearing in place of real candidates in the BA/BSc
Supplementary Examination held under the Punjab University.
According to
details, on Oct 25, 12 fake candidates appeared in the examination of English B
paper in Centre No 2, established at the Government Degree College, Pattoki.
During the routine checking, the college principal and staff stopped the illegal
activity and informed the PU Examinations Department. Besides, the Examinations
Department was also informed about the incident through an unknown telephone
call. On this, the department constituted a five-member inquiry committee to
probe into the incident.
PU Controller of Examinations Zahid Karim Khan
believes that some booti mafia is involved in this incident, adding that there
are chances of the involvement of some university officials too.
The
other incident of massive cheating was reported during the recent Intermediate
Part-I Supplementary Examination of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary
Education (BISE), Lahore.
One of the exam centres of the BISE at Shahdra
was reportedly "hijacked" by the armed members of a student union who
"facilitated" the candidates to solve their papers.
However, during the
next paper, when one of the BISE's monitoring squads, along with heavy
contingent of police, paid a surprise visit to the said exam centre, it found
Ashfaq Jutt, a representative of the student union, trying to disrupt the
examination once again. Interestingly, when police and the BISE squad tried to
arrest him, after he was identified by the superintendent, he succeeded in
fleeing from the scene. The board officials got a case registered against him
with the Shahdra Police Station.
The interference of student unions in
examinations is not a new phenomenon. There had been incidents in the past when
students organisations used to control the exam centres not only to mint money
but also to help their own activists pass different exams.
It may be
mentioned here that during his previous tenure, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz
Sharif had done his best to purge educational institutions from booti mafia. He
had even introduced entry test in medical colleges for the elimination of the
mafia. This year when students and their parents expressed concerns over entry
test for admission to medical colleges, the chief minister reiterated his stance
that entry test was introduced for the elimination of "booti mafia," adding:
"Now full attention will be paid to transparency of general examinations."
He vowed to completely eliminate booti mafia from the province to
safeguard the rights of hardworking students.
Seen in this context, the
recent incidents of cheating, no doubt, pose a great challenge to the
authorities concerned to ensure the protection of the rights of hardworking
students from the booti mafia.
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Punjab University security plan fails to materialise
Lahore: The Punjab University's administration has failed to enhance
security measures, including installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV)
cameras.
The decision regarding enhancing security measures was taken in
a special meeting of deans of faculties and other senior professors on Sep 22,
following the discovery of ammunition, including six Kalashnikovs, about 1,300
rounds of the assault rifles and 12 hand grenades, from one of the university
grounds near its Hostel No 1 at New Campus.
After the discovery of
ammunition, a special meeting of deans of faculties and other senior professors
was held. The meeting, chaired by PU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran,
decided to beef up security and to install CCTV cameras at all the important
entry points of the university. Besides, it was agreed that special training
would also be imparted to the security guards of the university while issuance
of special stickers for vehicles of teachers, employees and students was also
decided.
"The vehicles without PU security stickers will be searched
thoroughly at the entry gates," the meeting decided. However, despite passage of
more than a month, the university administration has neither issued any stickers
for vehicles of faculty members, students and employees nor has it installed the
CCTV cameras at important points of the university. It may be mentioned here
that following discovery of ammunition, students as well as faculty members had
expressed concerns over poor security arrangements at the university. They had
questioned the security measures as to how ammunitions of such a huge quantity
were brought into the campus.
A number of students
and faculty members criticised the administration for the delay in enhancing the
security measures, saying the decisions proved "merely tall claims" on part of
the administration.
Muhammad Azeem, a student, said it was quite strange
that the PU administration failed to enhance the security after such a shocking
incident. He said it was a responsibility of the administration to ensure the
maximum security for its students on campus.
"There was a security lapse
owing to which ammunition, including assault rifles and hand grenades, was moved
within the campus," he said.
Another student said the delay in beefing up
the security had exposed the lethargic attitude of the officials concerned. PU
Vice-Chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran and registrar Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan were not
available for comments. The News
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Students raising funds for quake victims
Lahore: Students' societies in educational institutions are
actively participating in raising funds for the earthquake victims of
Balochistan. The administrations in these institutions have also urged their
students to donate cash, clothes, tents, blankets, medicines and food items.
Around 400 people died and hundreds lost their homes in an earthquake of
magnitude 6.5 in Balochistan last Thursday. Although government and the army are
providing relief, many victims are still awaiting help. Students also played an
active role in collecting funds for the victims of the devastating earthquake on
October 8, 2005, in Kashmir and the Northern Areas. Teams of students went to
the affected areas to distribute aid and help in relief activities. This time
again, administrations and students' societies have displayed notices requesting
students to participate in relief efforts. Such notices are displayed at the
Beaconhouse National University (BNU), FAST National University of Computer and
Emerging Sciences, Allama Iqbal Medical College, Government College University
Lahore (GCU), Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore College
for Women University, Kinnaird College and Punjab University. For instance, a
notification from BNU Registrar Farzana Shahid requested students to contribute
funds for arranging food, tents, and medicine for the quake victims. Usman Khan,
a BNU student, said the notification had prompted students to donate funds and
clothes, adding the victims needed urgent help to cope with the approaching
winter. Nauman, a LUMS student, said the LUMS Community Service Society was
raising funds for the earthquake victims, adding that their initiative would
motivate more societies as well. Sofia Arshad, a GCU student, said the
government should instruct all governmental institutions to set up fund-raising
stalls. Rehan Tariq, a PU student and Islami Jamiat-e-Tulaba (IJT) Media
Secretary, said the students were giving funds and necessary items for their
Baloch brothers at the stalls set up by the IJT. He said they were requesting
students to join the government in helping the quake victims. Daily Times
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| Education News | | Updated: 09 Feb, 2012 |
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