Cheating in Test: 13 university admission seekers jailed

A mobile court yesterday sentenced 13 admission seekers to two years' imprisonment each for using electronic devices illegally during the admission test for 'Ka' unit of Dhaka University (DU) at different test centres in the capital.

Lax screening at the entryways yesterday allowed many examinees enter the test venues with various electronic devices including cell phones, complained a number of admission seekers. 

Out of the 13 sentenced DU admission seekers, one was caught using a hearing device while the rest were using cell phones to receive answers to questions on the test.

"The exam invigilator allowed me to use the mobile phone," claimed Zulkar Nain, an examinee who was apprehended at Mohammadpur Central College test centre. "I've got a Tk 5-lakh contract with a senior [an enrolled student at the university], who assured me that I would pass the exam [with his help]."

Nearly 20 minutes into the test, other examinees in the testing hall room noticed that Zulkar was copying answers from his cell phone onto his test sheets. At one stage they caught and handed him over to the authorities.

Another examinee, Sanchita Rani Das, who was caught at Mohammadpur Model School and College test centre, admitted to have gotten a contract with someone for her ticket to the DU at Tk 3.5 lakh.

Sanchita also made a similar claim, saying that the test invigilator had approved the use of her cell phone inside the testing hall. "But a different invigilator caught me while I was copying text messages that I received on my cell."

Commenting on the criminal attempts to pass the DU entrance examinations by a section of admission seekers, Amzad Ali, proctor of Dhaka University, told The Daily Star, "Guardians of these students are also responsible [for such crimes]. It would not be possible for these students to make contracts of such large amounts without the guardians' consent."

Furthermore, the test centre authorities failed to adhere to the security guidelines recommended by the DU during preparatory meetings, he added. "Examinees are supposed to be screened thoroughly when they enter the exam centres, but they [the exam authorities] did not do it properly."

A total of 90,427 students are seeking admission in 'Ka' unit, for various disciplines of science group, at the DU this year. The one and a half hour-long admission test, starting at 10:00am, was held at 87 test centres throughout Dhaka, including the DU campus.

Four sentenced during Jagannath University (JnU) admission test

Meanwhile, another mobile court yesterday sentenced four admission seekers of Jagannath University (JnU) to two years' imprisonment and a Tk 300 fine each for their attempt to sneak in electronic devices inside test centres for admission test of 'A' unit (science group). 

Noor Mohammad, proctor of JnU, told The Daily Star, "Five minutes before the test, the four students were trying to enter the exam halls with mobile phones. At the moment they were receiving text messages containing answers to the test questions [on their cell phones]."

A total of 64,306 students attended the one-hour JnU admission test under 'A' unit for 825 seats.