Daily Times

Sir: It was awful to see candidates cheating in matriculation examinations throughout Sindh. Although students stand guilty here, we cannot spare the invigilators who let this act go on. Instead of exercising strict control over candidates, they became a party to this heinous crime. When candidates cheat, it is not very difficult for examiners to figure it out. Now it is the responsibility of the examiner to examine papers more critically and fail candidates involved in cheating. I think it is time that our examination pattern was changed. There is a growing trend of taking MCQs (multiple-choice questions), which saves time and leaves no room for cheating.

In Inter-Services Selection Board tests, a candidate has 45 questions to be answered in 15 minutes or 90 questions in 30 minutes. In this system, the candidate cannot take his eyes off his answer sheet leave alone whisper or get help from anyone. In the United States, candidates of the medical licensing examination, popularly known as USMLE, are given 400 MCQs to be done in 12 hours. The beauty of this system of examinations is that a different set of MCQs is given to every candidate. Therefore, there is no chance of consultation or whispering. It is a foolproof method, which eliminates the chances of cheating. Unfortunately, we have an obsolete system of examinations. Five questions out of eight have to be attempted. Guess papers with suggested answers can be found in the market. Whenever the examination starts, one can hear the sound of tearing of books/guess papers in the examination halls.

We are producing graduates who cannot compete in the job market. They might earn a BCom/BA degree by using unfair means but cannot write a simple application, hence becoming a burden on society. The need of the hour is that we should use our energies to stem the rot. Parents should play their role and motivate their children to work hard and prepare for examinations. Teachers should ensure that they teach students with a missionary zeal, try to set an example by imparting lessons painstakingly and take pride in themselves if their students excel in examinations. The controller of examinations should not allow cheating in examinations; by allowing a criminal activity in the examination hall, he automatically becomes an accomplice. In the good old days, whenever a candidate was caught cheating, he used to be rusticated for two/three years.

Now values have changed. PhD degrees are being doled out to non-deserving persons. The Balochistan chief minister says that, “A degree is a degree whether it is original or fake.”

When once asked how much educated men were superior to the uneducated, Aristotle said, “As much as the living are to the dead.”

UMME RUBAB

Karachi