Karnataka: Government proposes Rs 10 crore fine and 10 years of imprisonment for fraudulent practices in exams

Amidst rising instances of malpractice in exams conducted for positions in departments of the Karnataka State Government, a bill has been tabled that proposes a time period of 10 years in jail and Rs 10 crore as fine for those who are caught red-handed in the act. 

The bill labelled Karnataka Public Examination (Measures for Prevention of Corruption and Unfair Means in Recruitment) Bill, 2023 has allowed for confiscation of property within its ambit. “It has been proposed to provide for effective measures to prevent and curb the offences of leakage of question papers and use of unfair means at public examinations for the purpose of recruitment to any posts under the state government including autonomous bodies, authorities, boards, or corporations. The new law will work as a deterrent against the rise in trend of unfair means in public examinations and also works as a deterrent for the examinees and criminal masterminds who resort to such tactics,” the bill stated. 

Recently the examination for the position of Sub-Inspector was postponed to January 23rd after a controversy surrounding the leakage of question papers before the commencement of exams in October 2021 caused uproar. Innovative techniques such as bluetooth devices embedded into the Mangalsutra have been observed in these examinations.