Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) has confirmed that three exam papers were partially leaked just before the June 2025 session, following a detailed internal investigation.
Despite the breach, the exam board has assured students that final grades, set to be released on August 12, will be based only on the secure parts of the papers.
Any compromised questions will be excluded from grading, and students will receive full marks for those sections to ensure fairness.
In an official statement issued Thursday, Cambridge reassured both students and parents that all candidates would receive just and equitable results.
The board emphasized its strong stance on academic honesty and test security. “Justice to honest students is our top priority,” the statement read.
The investigation confirmed three separate leak incidents: a question from AS & A Level Mathematics Paper 12, portions of two questions from Mathematics Paper 42, and parts of one question from AS & A Level Computer Science Paper 22. Fortunately, no full paper was exposed.
Cambridge further reported that while several social media claims were exaggerated or untrue, there had been a coordinated attempt to distribute fake or leaked exam papers to students.
Uzma Yousuf, the board’s Pakistan country director, expressed sympathy for students caught in the middle of the chaos, saying, “The main victims of this theft are young people who suffered considerable anxiety and distress.”
Dr. Anthony Dawson, Cambridge’s director of assessment standards, explained that steps have been taken to protect students who chose not to engage with leaked content.
The board is now actively tracking those involved in selling or attempting to sell both real and fake exam papers, with serious consequences expected for anyone found guilty.
Cambridge reaffirmed its dedication to preserving the credibility of its qualifications and honoring the effort of students who follow the rules.
The investigation’s findings have been shared with Pakistan’s Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training and other relevant institutions.
The issue has also caught the attention of the National Assembly, where the Standing Committee on Education is currently reviewing the matter after clear indications of a paper leak.
Although Cambridge oversees over two million exams across more than 160 countries each year, such security breaches remain extremely rare.
Even so, the board maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy for any form of malpractice and has pledged to respond swiftly to uphold the integrity of its exams.