The interim government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has decided to suspend mobile tower services near exam centres during the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) examination scheduled for November 26.

The Peshawar Police will be responsible for supervising the printing and handling of test materials, while Khyber Medical University will provide duty staff details, a statement by the provincial home department said.

Additionally, police will also monitor the delivery of exam materials and implement additional security measures by cooperating with the Federal Investigation Agency, it added.

Examination centres have been established in 11 districts, including Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Kohat, Mardan, Lower Dir, Swat, and Abbottabad.

Female police officers will also be stationed in the examination halls to enhance security.

Read: What is MDCAT and why there are two versions

Likewise, administrative officials from various departments will not be involved in examination matters, allowing the police to focus solely on security.

The authorities will also place CCTV surveillance at all examination centres to monitor proceedings, and the use of mobile phones will be strictly prohibited.

Dozens of students were arrested in KP for cheating via Bluetooth devices during the MDCAT held on September 10 at different national and foreign venues.

They were accused of using Bluetooth for cheating in tests. A hefty amount was received from each of the students for getting their papers solved.

An aspiring doctor, who appeared in the last MDCAT test, told Aaj News that he failed to get an admission in a medical college as he scored less than the required marks.

“When such [cheating] cases happen, it shows that merit has been killed here. We would have hundreds of fake doctors if they were not caught cheating during the last MDCAT test,” he added.

He urged for swift action against those who were involved in the cheating scandal to set an example for other aspirants.

Ali, another student, said that the cheating scandal will negatively affect the medical profession as illegible individuals would have been enrolled in medical colleges.

“They are depriving the students of their rights. The authorities should hand them strict punishment for their actions,” he added.