In a pioneering move to uphold the integrity of academic assessments, the Punjab School Education Department (SED) has introduced face detection technology in the 2025 annual matriculation examinations. This initiative aims to significantly reduce cheating and ensure a fair evaluation process for all students.

On March 10, Punjab’s Minister for School Education, Rana Sikandar Hayat, accompanied by Chairman of the Task Force for Education, Muzammil Mehmood, conducted unannounced inspections at several examination centers along Raiwind Road. During these visits, they assessed the implementation of the new technology, verified student identities using a 3D barcode system, and gathered feedback on the examination procedures.

Minister Hayat praised the examination staff for their dedication to maintaining smooth operations. He highlighted that centers on Raiwind Road, previously notorious for widespread cheating, have seen a remarkable 90% reduction in such incidents due to the new measures. Reported cases of cheating have dropped from 15–20 per day last year to just 2–3 cases this year.

This initiative aligns with the Punjab Chief Minister’s vision of achieving complete transparency in the examination system by next year. Reforms also include deploying special monitoring teams in districts such as Daska, Wazirabad, Gujranwala, and Lahore, marking a significant shift towards a credible and fair examination system.

Further modernizing the process, the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Lahore has introduced QR-coded online roll number slips. This system allows easy access to personal data and slip verification, significantly reducing fraudulent activities. BISE officials, including Chairman Muzammil Mehmood and Secretary Rizwan Nazir, consider this a major advancement in ensuring examination integrity.

This year, 920 examination centers are accommodating 568,854 candidates. To prevent favoritism and malpractice, an automated staff deployment system has been implemented, autonomously assigning duties to ensure impartiality and fairness. Controller of Examinations Zahid Mian emphasized that these technological advancements aim to provide a secure and efficient examination experience for all candidates.

The annual written matriculation examinations commenced on March 4 and are scheduled to conclude on March 24.