The Uttar Pradesh government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has given approval for a stringent new law aimed at curbing the issue of examination paper leaks in the state. During a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the state government passed a proposal to introduce the Uttar Pradesh Public Examination Ordinance 2024. This ordinance aims to enforce severe penalties for those found guilty of leaking examination papers. The punishments stipulated under this new law range from a minimum of two years to life imprisonment. Additionally, offenders will face a hefty fine of up to Rs 1 crore.
UP cabinet approves over 40 proposals
In the cabinet meeting, the approval was given to as many as 44 proposals. Among these was the introduction of the Uttar Pradesh Public Examination Ordinance 2024, reflecting a promise made by the Chief Minister during the Lok Sabha elections to implement strict laws against counterfeiting mafias. The state has witnessed numerous irregularities in recruitment examinations, notably the leaks of the Constable Recruitment and Review Officer/Assistant Review Officer (RO/ARO) recruitment exam papers.
Here are key provisions:
CM Yogi strict on paper leak issue
These incidents have not only raised questions about the integrity of the entire system but also rendered the hard work of millions of candidates futile. The institutions responsible for conducting these examinations have also come under scrutiny as a result. Notably, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken the issue of paper leaks very seriously, instructing the formulation of new arrangements and laws to ensure foolproof examinations.
Question paper leaks in UP
In a significant recruitment drive, over 4.8 million candidates appeared for exams to fill 60,244 posts in the Reserve Civil Police. However, the written examination held on February 18 and 19 was compromised, leading to its cancellation on February 24, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Following this, both sessions of the RO/ARO preliminary examinations also had to be cancelled due to similar issues. The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission had scheduled the RO/ARO (Preliminary) Examination for February 11, 2024, but this too was affected by paper leaks.
