Planning to use a proxy for exams, leak or sell exam papers? Get ready to pay Rs 10 cr in fine and spend jail term

Copy edited by Bhargobi Khaund

If you were planning to send someone else on your behalf to write exams or was planning to make a quick buck by leaking or selling exam papers, then you might want to give it a serious second thought. In a bid to curb such unfair practices in exams, Assam government has decided to impose a fine of upto Rs 10 crore and a jail term of upto 10 years for anyone found using fake identities to take exams or leak or sell question papers.

“People who are found guilty of using unfair means during exams will face strict punishments. The punishment can be imprisonment and fines. Many times, we see people using fake identities to take exams for someone else, leaking exam papers, and selling them. All those involved in these activities will be punished. The fine can go up to Rs 10 crore, and they can be imprisoned for 5 to 10 years. Officials and non-officials will also have to serve time in jail,” said Education Minister Ranoj Pegu mentioning that the Assam Cabinet has passed an Ordinance to this effect.

To ensure fair exams for government job recruitment, the Assam Cabinet has approved the Assam Public Examination (Measures for Prevention of Unfair Means in Examination) Ordinance, 2023. This move is aimed at promoting quality education and maintaining transparency in government job recruitment.

According to the new ordinance, individuals caught cheating during exams could face up to 3 years in prison and a fine of at least one lakh rupees. These measures are designed to make the recruitment process more fair and transparent.

All offences listed in the ordinance will be considered serious and non-negotiable. This means that those who break the rules will not have the option to settle the matter outside of court.

The Assam government also introduced rules regarding the receiving of gifts by ministers, MLAs, officers, and corporation chairmen. If these officials receive gifts worth more than Rs 2,000, they will have to hand over the gifts to the state government. The government will set up a State Toshakhana (a place where gifts are kept), similar to the central government, where these gifts will be stored and periodically auctioned. The money raised from these auctions will be deposited into the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

The measures are taken to ensure fairness and transparency in the conduct of government officials.

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