To curb paper leak cases and malpractice in the government competitive examinations, the Bihar state assembly today unanimously passed the Bihar Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill 2024. The bill has been moved in the house by Water Resource Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary and ‘blacklisting’ of such culprits is recommended, including punishment of imprisonment of 3 to 10 years or fine which may extend to one crore rupees.
The bill seeks to assure the deserving candidates that institutions in the public domain, which set exams, are here to guarantee their future, Mr. Choudhary said in the House. He raised concern on the recent paper leaks and related issues that has happened in the country including Bihar and the importance of a stringent law to stop the vice.
The bill seeks to capture all competitive recruitment and entrance examinations that are undertaken by the government institutions and also prescribes for able and proper justice for convicted candidates that included jail terms among others. It also qualifies paper leak cases as cognizable offences and empower the authorities to seize properties of convicts who are assigned holding examinations.
According to the bill, all the government departments holding competitional examinations fall within its preview like the Bihar public service commission, Bihar university service commission, the Bihar police sub-ordinate services commission among others.
