Gandhinagar: Facing sustained opposition criticism over frequent government exam paper leaks -13 in 3 years, the Gujarat Government is bringing in a strict legislation in the State Assembly session beginning next week to curb such incidents affecting lakhs of youngsters.
The latest junior clerk exam paper leak reported on January 29, 2023, was the 13th when as many as 11 lakh candidates were to appear for the test.
Gujarat Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill 2023
According to official sources, the Gujarat Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2023, provides for strict action against those involved in paper leaks. The punishment would range from seven to 10 years in jail and Rs 1 crore penalty. All offences under this law will be non-bailable.
The bill states that those involved in organised crime, conspiring and following unfair practices to leak papers will be penalised. Besides the provision for a prison term of 7 years that can extend up to 10 years and a fine of Rs 1 crore, their property would be seized and auctioned to recover the amount they have earned through unfair means.
According to the proposed legislation, the crime will be investigated by an officer of a rank not lower than a police inspector and preferably a deputy police superintendent.
The role of directors, partners, managers, secretaries or other office-bearers of any organisations involved in conducting exams will also be under scrutiny. The bill states that if found resorting to illegal practices the organisation tasked with conducting the exams will have to incur the entire expenditure of conducting the exams.
Persons given the responsibility to conduct the exams, if involved in malpractices, will have to serve a minimum jail sentence of five years and could be stretched to 10 years, besides a fine of Rs 10 lakh. This will also apply to candidates resorting to unfair practices.
Such candidates can even be debarred from all exams up to three years and those involved in serious crimes would face a jail term of three years and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. People who obstruct staff involved in conduct of exams like threatening them, not letting them enter exam centres will also face imprisonment for three years and a fine of Rs 1 lakh.
