Materialism, corporate influence and government inefficiency have led to a breakdown in the examination system, causing widespread cheating and fraud

It is a pity that the sanctity of almost all exams is at stake. Owing to many reasons, it has become possible to blot the pure nature of exams. Though exams are just a minor part of education, it doesn’t mean that their sanctity is compromised in broad daylight. Whoever invented the examination system must have been a genius of its own kind. There are disagreements over the exam-conducting process in the present fast-changing world. However, it doesn’t imply that the only way of achieving educational greatness in our country is manipulated for the whims of some.
It is a moment of lamentation for us that in the pious educational department, thieves and goons have made their dirty way possible. How can it be possible to allow the destroyers of the nation to manipulate the foolproof system and get scot-free? If we had the same kind of shame present in our lives, we must have collectively committed suicide rather than go for justifications that make evil look good. Those justifications that hang the innocent while the guilty are welcomed and garlanded must be discarded. In this sorry state of affairs, the meritorious students are forced to go through the soul-bruising grind that renders them mentally frustrated and socially isolated. Gradually, it leads to criminal activities and incidents of drug addiction.
After spending a large sum of money and utilizing precious and energetic years of life in preparing for a decent post, only to see that getting scrapped because the sanctity of the said post was compromised in the form of paper leakage, proxy candidates, and the filling of OMR sheets after the exams, throws the creative youths into the depths of despair. The families of youths are also very much invested in the careers of their children. Their ears are desperate to hear the news that their wards have achieved what they have been looking for. Hard-earned money is wasted in the blink of an eye when the custodians of education become the filthy dealers of education. Tears, sweat, and blood of the poor are difficult to distinguish from each other, only to see their children getting decent jobs and ending their perpetual and heartbreaking cycle of poverty and despair. Now the question arises: what makes this mess take place? In the following lines, let us discuss some causes briefly.
The first is materialism. The craving for materialism has blinded teachers, parents, and students as well. Looking decent and having a luxurious life has led to the slitting of the fragile throat of cherished examinations. An insatiable thirst for more and more material has lowered the rank of a human being to an animal. A greedy person’s animal instincts do not allow him to distinguish between good and evil. The eyes are blurred with material things and the brain is enveloped with the fakery of the so-called posh life.
The second is the hijacking of education by corporates. In the present, education has become a business. The corporate nature of education will not allow truthful people to be at the helm of affairs. Their presence is like a thorn in the eye. When this is the case, business-minded people with decent and modest outlooks will throw the rules to the wind so that their ego is not blunted and they are respected by one and all. They sell papers and buy entire examination centres to succeed in their nefarious designs.
The third is the diminishing image of education. When education has failed to produce creative and supportive minds, it has become the soft target of antisocial elements. Education means self-improvement and the improvement of all. Education prepares us to live an enlightened life. However, in place of enlightenment, dull and mediocre minds are produced that are good for nothing. It eventually sets the stage for high-level cheating.
The fourth and last is the inefficient or insufficient role of the government. The government makes laws only to be violated. In our country, laws are made, the required machinery is made available, and the ground is set for the fair conduct of exams. However, when it comes to reality, there is nothing tangible to be looked at. Under the nose of the government, laws are violated while they are unable to take any exemplary action. Sometimes the government officials are hand in glove with the culprits to deface the grand building of education. To stop this mess from spreading far and wide, some necessary steps must be taken. Some are discussed below.
The first is laws must be strictly implemented. Whosoever violates the laws must be thrown into jail. The second is stress on morality. We preach morality at every stage while we practice immorality. This paradox has to be shunned at the earliest. The third is introspection. Before committing any fraud, we must ask ourselves whether we are doing right or not. Self-consciousness can act as a deterrent in this regard. The fourth and the last is to maximize the standards of education. In order to do away with the menace of exam paper leakage and other related malpractices, we must avail of the services of able and meritorious people. For this to happen, the standards of education must be raised to the highest level where no one is allowed to play with the sentiments of the poor people and the future as well.
This path is full of thorns. There are big fish in the ocean. They have access to the highest echelons of the government. They will get scot-free. However, if we, at the ground level, take a vow that we will never tamper with the sanctity of education, then there are chances that some tangible results may come out. It is a serious issue. No one can afford to remain insensitive to it. In the garb of providing education and jobs to the students of our country, the guilty are playing victim cards to save their so-called ranks. We must identify them. There should be no considerations for one’s relationships and kinships. All the accusations levelled against the sanctity of examinations from now on must be investigated openly. The culprits must be dealt with strictly. The need of the hour is to restore the sanctity of this pious institution.

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Syed Mustafa Ahmad