By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: The monsoon session of the Bihar Legislature saw the passage of the Anti-Paper Leak Bill on Wednesday, despite significant opposition protests and a walkout. The new law stipulates punishments ranging from 3 to 10 years in prison for those found guilty, applying to all examinations conducted by the Bihar Government.
Following the NEET exam paper leak, the Bihar government took a serious stance on the issue, paralleling the Government of India’s implementation of strict laws. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary introduced the Bihar Public Examination Unfair Means Prevention Bill 2024 in the House. After presenting the bill, it was swiftly passed, although opposition members boycotted the session and made serious allegations against the Chief Minister.
Under the new law, those convicted in paper leak cases can face up to 10 years in prison and fines up to Rs 1 crore. For impersonation in exams, the punishment ranges from 3 to 5 years in prison with a Rs 10 lakh fine. Institutions found involved in irregularities will bear the entire cost of the examination, with their property potentially subject to confiscation.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Choudhary criticized the opposition for defending criminals, highlighting that the Bihar government is taking the paper leak issue very seriously. He noted that there have been 48 instances of exam fraud across 16 states.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has implemented similar laws at the national level, targeting exam fraud in exams like NET-UGC, UPSC, SSC, Railway Recruitment, and Banking. The Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024, enacted in February and effective from June, aims to curb such malpractices.
The new Bihar law, replacing a much weaker 1981 version, imposes a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 10 years imprisonment, along with fines up to Rs 1 crore. This legislation addresses the rampant paper leak issues that have plagued various examinations in the state, including teacher recruitment exams, Bihar Police Recruitment exams, and the Bihar Civil Services Examination.
The bill’s passage represents a significant step towards dismantling the extensive and lucrative network of exam fraud in Bihar, estimated to be worth thousands of crores, involving numerous individuals from various levels.
