Pakistan Orders Probe Into Cambridge Exam Leak Affecting 25,000 Students
By Arshad Mehmood/The Media Line
A federal inquiry has been launched in Pakistan into a reported leak of an A-level mathematics exam paper, prompting scrutiny of the Cambridge International Education system and concerns over exam security.
The Inter Board Committee of Chairmen announced Thursday it will seek a report from Cambridge International Education following complaints from parents and students about transparency. Reports indicate the incident may have affected around 25,000 students nationwide.
Cambridge Pakistan confirmed the Advanced Subsidiary Mathematics exam paper was “shared ahead of time in violation of our rules.” In a statement, the organization said, “We confirm that the Cambridge International AS Level Mathematics exam 12 (9709), conducted across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Pakistan, and South Asia, was shared ahead of time in violation of our regulations.”
The statement added, “we immediately and thoroughly investigate such incidents, and we are now working to understand the extent of the leak and determine the future course of action in this regard.”
It continued: “Our priority is to ensure that students do not suffer any loss due to this incident, and we continue to take all possible measures to protect the integrity of our examinations.”
The controversy emerged after reports that the AS-Level Mathematics Paper 1 (Pure Mathematics 1, syllabus code 9709/12) for the May/June 2026 exam series was circulated on social media platforms, including WhatsApp, YouTube and Google Drive, several hours before the scheduled test on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.
Students and parents expressed concern over the impact, citing financial and academic consequences. Arbab Iqbal, a Rawalpindi-based educationist, told The Media Line that about 25,000 students each paid $180 per subject, totaling roughly $4.5 million, raising questions about exam safeguards.
Some students said the paper was sold online before it spread more widely. Amir Hamza, a Rawalpindi-based student, told The Media Line, “Hours of preparation and the hundreds of thousands of rupees spent on tuition fees over the course of a year were all wasted.”
Investigations are ongoing, with authorities and Cambridge reviewing the scope of the breach.
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