Odisha clears new draft law to curb malpractices in public examinations

The draft bill has specific provisions on impersonation, cheating, disrupting the examination process and leak of information before scheduled time

Published on: Nov 13, 2024, 21:29:07 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government on Wednesday approved a draft bill to deal with malpractices on public examinations in the state which would be introduced in the state assembly during the upcoming winter session.

Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Manjhi (PTI /VIA X/@MohanMOdisha)

The cabinet approved the proposed Odisha Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024 which seeks to prescribe imprisonment ranging from three to five years and a fine up to ₹10 lakh for any irregularities during examinations conducted by the public service commissions and state staff selection commissions.

The bill would have specific provisions on impersonation, cheating, disrupting the examination process, leakage of information related to an exam before the scheduled time and unauthorised entry into exam halls and would make non-bailable and non-compoundable offences.

The proposed legislation would cover public exams conducted by the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC), Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC), Odisha Subordinate Staff Selection Commission (OSSSC), Service Selection Board, Odisha Police Selection Board, State Selection Board constituted under the Odisha Education (Selection Board for the State)Rules, 1992, Odisha Joint Entrance Examination, regulated by the Odisha Professional Educational Institution (Regulation of Admission and Fixation of Fee) Act, 2007, Departments of the State Government and their attached and subordinate offices for recruitment of staff, Selection Agencies / Committees engaged or constituted by the State Government.

“The service provider shall also be liable to be punished with imposition of a fine up to ₹1 crore and proportionate cost of examination shall also be recovered from such service provider. In case of default of payment of fine, an additional punishment of imprisonment shall be imposed, as per the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023,” an official statement said.

In 1988, the Odisha government enacted the Orissa Conduct of Examinations Act to stop unfair practices in examinations conducted by various school and university exam bodies. However, this law prescribed a punishment of three months and a ₹500 penalty.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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