LAHORE: Punjab School Education Department (SED) has for the first time introduced face detection technology to check cheating in the annual matriculation exams for 2025.

Punjab Minister for School Education Rana Sikandar Hayat, alongside Chairman Task Force for Education Muzammil Mehmood, conducted surprise inspections of sensitive examination centres on Raiwind Road on Monday.

During their visit, Mr Hayat and Mr Mehmood reviewed arrangements, verified students` identities using a 3D barcode system, and gathered feedback from them on the examina-tion process.

The minister commended the supervisory stafffor their efforts to ensure smooth operations at these centres. `Raiwind Road examination centres were notorious for rampant cheating. Our measures have successfully curbed the cheating mafia by 90 percent, ensuring an unparalleled level of transparency in exams,` said Mr Hayat.

He said the number of reported cheating cases had plummeted from 15-20 per day last year to just2-3 casesthisyear.

The minister said the initiative aligns with Punjab chief minister`s aim to bring a 100pc transparency in the examination system by next year.

The reforms included deploying special monitoring teams indistricts like Daska, Wazirabad, Gujranwala, and Lahore.

The minister stated that the department was implementing exam reforms not seen in the past 77 years in the province, moving towards a fair and credible examination system.

Earlier, the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Lahore introduced QR-coded online roll number slips for the first time, further modernising the process under the supervision of BISE officials, including Chairman Muzamil Mahmood and Secretary Rizwan Nazir.

The QR code system enables easy access to personal data and slip verification, significantly reducing fraudulent activities in the examination process.The se cretary called it a `major step forward` in ensuring the examination`s integrity.

He said 920 examination centreswere accommodating568,854 candidates this year, adding that reforms include an automated staff deployment system to prevent favouritism and malpractice. The new system autonomously assigns duties to staff, ensuring impartiality and fairness, he added.

Controller of Examinations Zahid Mian said that these technological advancements were introduced to ensure a secure and efficient examination experience foralleandidates.

The annual written matriculation examination started on March 4 and will conclude on March 24.