MDCAT 2023: High-Tech Cheating Scandal Leads to Arrests of Dozens, Including Female Students
During the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) 2023, dozens of students were apprehended for cheating using advanced technology. The incident occurred on September 10, 2023, when over 200,000 students across Pakistan sat for the pen-and-paper test.
The authorities arrested several students who were found wearing Bluetooth devices in the examination halls. Among those detained were more than 40 candidates, including 20 females, from Peshawar and 10 from DI Khan. These students were allegedly using wireless devices to cheat during the exam.
Upon investigation, the authorities recovered Bluetooth devices from the accused students. Cases have been lodged against them, and they are expected to be produced before the court the following Monday.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chief secretary and other officials took immediate notice of the incident. They ordered the cancellation of the papers of the candidates found involved in these illegal activities.
Secretary of Higher Education Anila Durrani revealed to the media that a group had been charging students hefty amounts to assist them in cheating during the test through secret Bluetooth devices. This group was subsequently busted by the authorities, and their wireless devices were confiscated.
The MDCAT is conducted by the Pakistan Medical Commission and is taken by hundreds of thousands of medical aspirants each year. This incident has cast a shadow over the integrity of the examination process, raising concerns about the use of technology in facilitating dishonest practices.
