Guwahati, 12th February: A recent incident involving the leakage of Higher Secondary Examination question papers in Kokrajhar has raised serious concerns about the integrity of education in Assam.
According to reports, the question papers became available on mobile phones just half an hour after the examination began, indicating a significant breach in security protocols.
Authorities have confirmed the arrest of one individual in connection with the leak, shedding light on the ongoing challenges faced by educational institutions in safeguarding examination materials.
While details about the individual’s identity and the method of leakage remain undisclosed, this event underscores the urgent need for stricter security measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
In response to such breaches, the Assam cabinet introduced the ‘Examination Bill’ during the Budget Session of the 15th Legislative Assembly on February 5.
The bill proposes stringent penalties for exam malpractices, including three years of imprisonment and a fine of at least Rs 1 lakh for cheating, and fines ranging from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 10 crore along with up to 10 years of imprisonment for leaking examination papers.
The government’s introduction of this bill reflects a firm stance against unauthorized distribution of question papers, a problem that significantly impacted students during the previous academic year’s High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) exams.
Under the new regulations, candidates will be prohibited from possessing question papers without authorization, and other malpractices such as selling question papers and aiding candidates during exams will also face penalties.
Furthermore, the printing of question papers for examinations will now exclusively occur in government-authorized presses, as per the new regulations, aimed at ensuring enhanced security and integrity in the examination process.
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