Odisha clears new draft law to curb malpractices in public examinations

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.
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.