The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to suspend mobile phone services during the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT), scheduled for September 22. The measure aims to prevent cheating during the exam.

Peshawar Division Commissioner Riaz Khan Mehsud took the decision while presiding over a meeting. The Peshawar deputy commissioner, the Khyber Medical University registrar, the superintendent of police for security, the SP for the Special Branch, and other relevant administrative officers attended the meeting.

Approximately 19,000 candidates are expected to participate in the MDCAT in the provincial capital, with six examination centres established for this purpose.

MDCAT is a paper-based test administered by multiple universities in Pakistan and overseas for admission into medical colleges in Pakistan.

Mobile phone towers near examination centres would be shut down for four hours. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has already been notified regarding the action. Jammers would be installed inside the examination halls to block mobile signals. Moreover, a ban on public gatherings near the examination centres would be imposed under Section 144 of the CrPC.

A traffic plan has been developed to maintain traffic during the MDCAT in Peshawar. Instructions have been issued to the SP for security for police and female police officers deployment, along with a detailed security plan to ensure the safety of examination staff and candidates.

The Peshawar deputy commissioner has been directed to formulate an administrative plan. Each examination hall has been assigned a separate assistant commissioner to oversee operations.

To prevent cheating, the district administration of Peshawar has been instructed to install CCTVs both inside and outside the examination halls.

Such measures come against the backdrop of several cheating complaints during the MDCAT in 2023.

Dozens of students were arrested in KP for cheating via Bluetooth devices during the MDCAT held on September 10, 2023, at different national and foreign venues.

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

Last year, approximately 180,534 students appeared for the MDCAT exam. It is estimated that around 200,000 students are likely to sit for the exam this year.