The credibility of public examinations in Sindh has long been fragile, with cheating common across centres and enforcement often uneven. The government is now introducing a novel system of watermarking examination papers to curb cheating, an intervention that acknowledges the scale of the problem but will ultimately be judged by how firmly it is enforced.
The measure is designed to trace any paper leak back to its source. If implemented properly, it could close one of the most persistent loopholes in the system. Yet experience offers reason for caution. Reforms in the past have faltered not because they lacked design, but because they lacked consistency in execution.
This year’s examination cycle is significant in scale. More than 1.35 million students will appear across over 1,600 centres, many in areas where administrative control is uneven. In such conditions, malpractice thrives since oversight is weak and those responsible for enforcement face little consequence for failure.
Thus, these measures will only carry weight if they operate without interference. A system that identifies wrongdoing but hesitates to act against it risks reinforcing the very culture it seeks to dismantle. Basic arrangements at examination centres also matter more than they are often allowed to.
Disruptions caused by load-shedding or inadequate facilities create disorder, and disorder undermines control. Coordination with institutions must therefore be ensured in practice during examination hours. The warning issued to board officials over potential leaks is a necessary signal, but it must be followed by visible accountability where breaches occur. Without that, the credibility gap will persist.
Ultimately, the issue is not just the absence of tools but the absence of consequences. Sindh needs to break the pattern of rampant cheating to ensure education is up to par, not merely for the sake of examinations but for the credibility of the entire system that feeds into higher education and employment.
Editorial Published in Express Tribune on March 30th, 2026.
