Chief minister Yogi Adityanath-led government is set to introduce the Uttar Pradesh Public Examinations Ordinance 2024 following recent paper leaks in the Constable Recruitment Exam and RO-ARO exam. The state cabinet approved the proposal, which includes provisions for life imprisonment and fines up to ₹1 crore for those found guilty of exam malpractice.
Question papers of UP Police’s biggest recruitment exam for 60,244 posts of constables were leaked in February. Later, the UPPSC preliminary recruitment examination for review officers and assistant review officers (ROs/AROs) was also cancelled in March due to reports of paper leaks.
What are key provisions of the ordinance?
The ordinance covers public service recruitment exams, promotion exams, and entrance tests for degrees, diplomas, and certificates.
Offences such as distributing fake question papers and creating counterfeit employment websites will be punishable. Violators could face imprisonment ranging from two years to life, along with fines up to ₹1 crore, the government said in a statement.
In case of exam disruption, the ordinance allows for recovering financial losses from solver gangs and permanently blacklisting implicated companies and service providers. The law permits property attachment for criminal activities and designates all offences as cognizable, non-bailable, and triable by the sessions court. Strict provisions regarding bail are also outlined.
Due to the UP assembly not being in session, the government has opted for the ordinance route to address these issues promptly, it said in the statement.
Ordinance comes amid uproar alleging paper leak
This comes at a time when several national-level competitive exams across India have come under scrutiny, casting uncertainty over the futures of lakhs of students. In less than a month into the Narendra Modi-led NDA 3.0 government, opposition parties have launched unified criticism.
Here are the exams facing controversy:
NEET-UG 2024: The NTA has faced scrutiny for lapses in the NEET-UG 2024 medical entrance exam, including alleged paper leaks and irregularities.
UGC-NET: The June 18 UGC-NET exam was cancelled and handed over to the CBI, which is now investigating a darknet leak of the exam paper.
CSIR-UGC NET: The June edition of the Joint CSIR-UGC NET was postponed due to logistical issues, the education ministry said.
NEET-PG: Scheduled for June 23, the NEET-PG entrance exam was postponed by the Union health ministry amid concerns over exam integrity.
