PU: Uproar over paper leakage

The ongoing Master of Journalism’s Part Two examination papers at the Punjab University were leaked, with the motive of making illegitimate gains as well as gunning for the vice-chancellor.
Meanwhile, the Mass Communication students in various colleges have demanded from the CM Punjab to take action against the perpetrators of this scam and ensure transparency in examinations, Pakistan Today learnt Friday.
The PU Controller Examinations Prof. Dr Liaquat Ali when contacted flatly denied the incident. “I am not aware of any paper-leakage”, said he.
Sources inside the PU confided that some elements of the Board of Study were making illegal gains by tampering with the varsity’s examination system by first hiring paper-setters whom they can control and then having access to the papers, they leak them. The Journalism Part Two papers were leaked using similar methods.
Sources also said that another purpose of systematically leaking papers could be to earn a bad name to PU VC Professor Dr Mujahid Kamran through destroying the credibility of the examination system under his watch. A lobby inside the varsity is already actively engaged in making endeavours for the removal of VC.
Most Journalism students who got admission on merit were condemning the authorities over the issue as according to them it is unfair that some students knew the question papers beforehand as those who worked hard the year round have been cheated in this manner.
According to reliable sources, a group of journalism teachers at PU, who already are part of the get-VC campaign, used their influence in the Board of Study in this regard. It is pertinent to mention here that the Board of Study is a body that also deals with the preparation of question papers, having total sway over the selection of paper-setters.
According to sources, this year authorities selected those papers-setters from various universities and electronic and print media organisations who are said to be engaged in a campaign against the PU VC
The papers that have been leaked are: Communication, Public Relations, Editorial, Feature and Column Writing and Magazine Journalism.
A student who did not wish to be named said: “such leakage has not happened for the first time.” According to him, not only PU teaches but retired teachers are also behind leakage of papers.
A female student of Journalism Part Two said that last year’s journalism teachers leaked the papers and this year they also repeated the practice, rendering the whole process of examination worthless. She said, she would request the CM Punjab to cancel the Journalism Part Two papers and ensure reexamination through fair administrators.
Nothing doing, says PU Controller
According to PU Controller Examinations Prof. Dr Liaquat Ali while denying any paper leakage said, “the Board of Study is responsible for this and the PU administration can only take action if some proof was presented before it”.
Another CE department official said, the PU’s examination system was transparent and quick.
He cited this year’s BA/BSc examinations as exemplary in terms of action against cheating and corruption. He said, “Matter of Journalism is slightly different. It is the only varsity department that gives the administration a tough time, owing to the latter’s helplessness in the face of mafia at PU’s Journalism Department”.
According to a senior PU teacher, it is not unique that journalism paper was leaked by some elements as this happens every year. He said that even in the beginning of the year department’s paper was leaked and then too CM Punjab had set up a committee to investigate the matter.
“Actually CM Punjab did not bother to investigate corruption in the examination system.
That was why last year’s online system of the BISE Lahore flunked and now his government is taking the flak for its failure”, said he, adding, “mafias are actually present in the education sector and the government is helpless against them”.