UNHOLY syndicates engaging in question leakage of public universities are reportedly resorting to high-tech devises to supply prepared answers to students who buy such service at huge cost is alarming and a matter of grave concern. The digital forgery in admission test at most public universities has captured media headlines over the past several weeks posing big questions how to save such tests from leakage and what may be the fate of this country’s higher education if it continues to happen.
News reports said this year’s admission test like the previous years of some departments of Dhaka University (DU), Chittagong University (CU) and Pabna University of Science and Technology (PUST) has already been marred with chaos by question leakage and such other frauds. The varsity authorities know who are those people destroying the examination system. People all over the country also know about the business being carried out by powerful factions of the ruling party backed student groups with the help of a section of varsity staff but it remains non-stopped.
The fact is that children of rich families buy the leaked questions to easily win a seat at public varsities at the cost of those from the poor families will make the nation hostage to less meritorious people at the end. Many syndicates are now reportedly equipped with latest technology to sell the leaked questions in exchange of money ranging from Tk 2 to 5 lakhs from each beneficiary. They provide tiny wireless earphone, credit card-like communication device, eraser pen and assist the admission seeker from the outside of the examination hall. Detectives seized several devices from the possession of ruling party backed student leaders and admission seekers in DU and CU admission tests.
The big wonder is why the varsity authorities are helpless and not using counter technology to destroy the network. Law enforcers are aware of the identity of the gangsters but not enough courageous to destroy them. Knowingly they have their limitations because leaders and activists of the student wing of the ruling party are mainly involved in the crime. They buy service of some varsity staff engaged in the test examinations to buy questions at some stage from preparation to final distribution in exam halls. Even arrested criminals get bail and return to normal life soon and this is why recurrence of question leakage continues year-after year destroying people trust in our education system.
Some recent arrest shows that 30 men — most of them leaders of ruling party student factions and admission seekers were nabbed by police for question leakage at DU and PUST while CU authorities suspended two student leaders for such crime. At DU the authorities however denying leakage of the ‘Gha’ unit questions and rather investigating those spreading the allegation. But such face saving is counter-productive without addressing the issue. We would like to say varsity authorities must act to stop it rather trying to cover up it.
