Question paper leakage must be plugged

Mohiuddin Babar | Published: December 18, 2017 22:40:36

The domain of education in the country seems to be embroiled in a new challenge - growing menace of question paper leakage before different kinds of examinations. For quite some time now, there have been several reports of question paper leakage from schools to universities. The saddest part is that despite outcries, the trend goes on unabated. The truth is, question paper leakage is a new business opportunity perpetrated by unscrupulous people trying to make money defying moral value.
With continued reports of question paper leakage surfacing from across the country, blame game is getting rampant as to who should be responsible for the menace. The education minister points his fingers at the teachers while the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) hits at the dishonest officials in the academic institutions or in the education regulating authorities.
It is indeed a matter of deep concern when we think about the impact of the menace in our society and more particularly for our posterity. As it is said, education is the backbone of a nation and if this backbone is infested with such corrupt indulgences, the nation is set for ugly challenges ahead.
Malpractices like question paper leakage can pull back our stride for development. More importantly, it tempts to obliterate our desired goals and roadmap for sustainability.
It is already well agreed that our education domain is getting fragile due to various factors. We have seen volumetric or numeric growth, whether in enrolment or pass-outs, but a serious degradation in quality is visibly evident. The teaching profession which is supposed to be indexed as one of nobility, is beset with various problems that range from lack of competency to dearth of commitment to involvement in misconduct. Teachers, not all of course, have derailed themselves from the path of dedication and honesty. Many of them are in the swing with lusts for financial gains and that is why we have seen how coaching centres have sprouted in every nook and corner.
Though the concerned authorities did clamp down on private coaching centers, things have little improved. Rather, the new syndrome of question leakage has become more lucrative now. The basic issue is the fault with the system which demands passing the examination anyhow. Experts are of the view that the question paper leakage can be discouraged if the value of passing credits is spread throughout the academic sessions. It should encompass not just the academic pursuits only but moral, civic and extra-curricular traits as well.
Truly, the new challenge of question paper leakage can jeopardise all efforts of hoping for a well-educated society. It can put our dreams in peril of having the next generations sufficiently apt to face the challenges of good governance, effective management and global competitiveness.
The authorities must twist the neck of all those found guilty of distorting our education system. If there is a failure, we are putting our next generations into serious risks of unsustainable future. With hope against hope, it is expected that the culprits be brought to book and given exemplary punishment. Only then there can be a reassurance of an agreeable education system that should enable genuinely valued academic qualifications.
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