Pune: The state government recently introduced a bill in the Legislative Assembly aimed at imposing severe criminal charges and strict punishments against malpractice in central entrance exams and competitive exams.
While the introduction of this law is commendable, there is a significant demand to extend this law to university degree exams, private universities, and the 10th and 12th-grade exams conducted by the State Examination Board.
Several instances of question paper leaks during government recruitment exams have been reported in the state, leading to calls for a stringent law against such practices.
Following malpractices in the NEET-UG exams, the central government enacted a law against paper leaks. In response, the state government has also introduced a bill to combat this issue.
Against this backdrop, former Senate member of Savitribai Phule Pune University, Professor Dhananjay Kulkarni, has submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde regarding this matter.
Kulkarni emphasized that leaking any examination question paper before the exam should be considered a punishable offense warranting strict criminal action.
Past incidents have shown that university and 10th-12th grade question papers have been leaked. There is no reason to treat these leaks less severely than those of central entrance or competitive exams.
Currently, penalties for exam malpractice under the university law are mild, and this inconsistency must be addressed. Kulkarni has called for necessary amendments to the university law and the exam board law, or to incorporate these changes in the proposed bill.
Earlier this year, the NEET-UG exam, a crucial test for medical college admissions, was marred by a significant paper leak scandal. Authorities discovered that the exam paper had been leaked prior to the examination, leading to widespread cheating.
This incident not only compromised the integrity of the exam but also caused distress among thousands of students who had prepared rigorously. In response, the central government implemented strict laws to combat paper leaks.
The state’s recent bill aims to follow suit, targeting similar malpractices in competitive exams. However, calls are now being made to broaden the scope of this law to include all academic examinations.