Pakistan launches probe into Cambridge exam paper leaks amid student concerns

Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has ordered a formal investigation into the alleged leakage of Cambridge examination papers, raising concerns among thousands of students and parents across the country during the ongoing examination session.

The directive was issued on Thursday during a high-level meeting chaired by Interior Secretary Muhammad Khurram Agha at the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control. Officials from Cambridge International Education, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), the British Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education attended the meeting.

The development follows confirmation by Cambridge International Education that an AS-Level Mathematics paper conducted earlier this week had been leaked. The examination body also postponed another Mathematics paper scheduled for Friday due to concerns over exam integrity.

During the meeting, Education Secretary Nadeem Mahbub highlighted growing anxiety among students and parents regarding repeated reports of leaked papers, particularly O-Level and AS-Level Mathematics exams. Officials stressed the need for immediate action to restore public confidence in the examination process.

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According to the Interior Ministry, the NCCIA has been instructed to conduct a comprehensive investigation in collaboration with Cambridge authorities. The ministry emphasised that strict implementation of decisions and timely sharing of findings would be necessary to ensure transparency.

Representatives from Cambridge International Education told the meeting that the organisation follows strict procedures to maintain examination security and fairness. British officials attending the session reportedly suggested that the incident appeared to involve theft rather than a system-wide paper leak.

The ministry also directed Cambridge to strengthen its examination systems and address potential loopholes that may have contributed to the incident.

This is not the first time Cambridge examinations in Pakistan have faced controversy. Similar paper leak allegations surfaced last year and again earlier this year involving Mathematics exams. Cambridge later confirmed that some of those claims were credible and scheduled replacement examinations.

The latest controversy has intensified calls from parents and students for stronger safeguards to protect examination credibility and academic fairness in Pakistan.