The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cyber Crime Circle has ramped up its investigation into the alleged leak of the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) exam paper in Karachi. Approximately 150 students have been summoned for questioning, with 96 attending interviews at the FIA office recently.
FIA officials reported that students provided statements in the presence of their parents, detailing how they received a similar exam paper via WhatsApp just a day before the test. Some students have also shared phone numbers of individuals allegedly involved in selling the leaked paper. However, it has not yet been confirmed whether there is a complete match between the leaked paper and the exam taken by the students.
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The FIA plans to analyze the statements collected to guide further investigative actions. Notably, the students summoned scored exceptionally high, with some achieving 190 out of a possible 200 on the MDCAT. This scrutiny follows the Sindh High Court’s recent decision to scrap the MDCAT over irregularities.
The FIA’s inquiry was initiated after a complaint from Bilawal Mallah of the Human Rights Justice and Defenders Organization, which highlighted the anomaly of some students achieving scores over 97 percent in a test that has now been declared problematic. During the investigation, it was found that several students scored upwards of 97.5 percent, raising concerns about the integrity of the admissions process.
The students involved come from various higher secondary boards and were required to appear at the FIA Cyber Crime Branch for questioning. The FIA may conduct mock tests as part of the investigation, with students’ statements being recorded under the Criminal Procedure Code to ensure transparency.
Additionally, the Sindh High Court ordered a retest of the MDCAT within four weeks, following a report from a fact-finding committee led by Shireen Narijo. The committee’s findings indicated significant flaws in the MDCAT process, suggesting that the integrity of the examination had been compromised. A team of 40 members was responsible for administering the test, highlighting the scale of the investigation into these serious allegations.
