Pakistan orders cybercrime probe into Cambridge exam paper leak

Dubai: Pakistan’s interior ministry has ordered a cybercrime investigation into the alleged leak of Cambridge examination papers, as outrage grows among students and parents over repeated breaches during the ongoing exam session, according to reports by Dawn and Geo News.

The ministry on Thursday directed the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to investigate the matter in coordination with Cambridge International Education (CIE), following claims that multiple Mathematics papers had been leaked before the exams.

The move came during a high-level meeting chaired by Interior Secretary Muhammad Khurram Agha at the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control. The meeting was attended by Federal Education Secretary Nadeem Mahbub, NCCIA Director General Syed Khurram Ali, representatives from Cambridge International Education (CIE), the British Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other stakeholders.

The development follows CIE’s confirmation on Wednesday that an AS-Level Mathematics paper held earlier this week had been leaked. Cambridge also announced the postponement of another Mathematics paper scheduled for Friday, marking the second confirmed paper breach during the current examination cycle.

According to the interior ministry, the education secretary raised serious concerns over mounting anxiety among students and parents amid reports of repeated leaks involving Cambridge O-Level and AS-Level Mathematics papers.

The British deputy high commissioner reportedly told the meeting that the incident appeared to involve “theft rather than an actual paper leak”, while Cambridge representatives insisted the organisation maintained strict standards to safeguard the integrity and transparency of its examinations.

Mounting pressure

However, pressure mounted on Cambridge after officials also raised concerns over reports of another leaked paper and sought immediate clarification from the examination body.

The interior secretary described the situation as a matter of serious concern and directed the NCCIA to conduct a thorough investigation in coordination with Cambridge. He also stressed the need for strict implementation of decisions taken during the meeting and timely sharing of findings to maintain transparency and public confidence.

The meeting further decided that Cambridge would strengthen its systems to plug weaknesses and loopholes in the examination process.

The latest controversy comes weeks after Cambridge confirmed that an AS-Level Mathematics paper conducted on April 29 had also been leaked. Following an internal investigation, the examination body acknowledged the claims were credible and scheduled a replacement exam for June 9.

Last year, question papers of three AS and A-Level examinations were also partially leaked across Pakistan, fuelling criticism over the security of the examination system.

In its latest statement, Cambridge admitted that one of its Mathematics papers had been “shared prematurely against strict regulations” and said investigations were ongoing to determine the extent of the breach and the next course of action.