Bihar's Anti-Paper Leak Bill: Curbing Exam Malpractices

Key Provisions of the Bihar Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024

• Passed on July 24, 2024, by the Bihar Assembly
• Aims to curb question paper leaks and malpractices in government recruitment exams

Penalties for individuals involved in malpractices:

• • Imprisonment of 3 to 5 years
  • Fine of ₹10 lakh

Penalties for service providers (government or private) engaged in malpractices:

• • Fine of ₹1 crore
  • Four-year termination of services

Penalties for organized crime groups:

• • Imprisonment of 5 to 10 years
  • Fine of ₹1 crore
• Provision to confiscate property of involved institutions
• All crimes under this law are cognizable and non-bailable
• Investigations to be conducted by DSP rank officers

Context and Necessity of the Bill

Frequent paper leaks in Bihar, including:

• • Bihar teacher recruitment exam 2024
  • Bihar Constable Recruitment Examination 2023
  • BPSC 67th Combined Competitive Preliminary Exam (2022)
• Recent NEET-UG question paper leak case involving suspects from Bihar
• Aligns with national efforts: Similar to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024, passed by the Indian Parliament
• Follows Jharkhand's example, which passed a similar bill in 2023

Reactions and Implications

• Introduced by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary
• Passed with voice vote amidst opposition walkout
• Public welcomed the move, hoping for stricter enforcement
• Aimed at reinforcing measures against irregularities in crucial examinations
• Applies to exams conducted by bodies like Bihar Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Commission, and Bihar School Examination Board

Recent Controversies and Investigations

NEET-UG 2024 paper leak:

• • Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police investigating
  • Aspirants allegedly paid ₹30-50 lakh to access question papers
  • Several arrests made, documents and cheques seized
• Supreme Court upheld the validity of NEET-UG 2024 despite localized leaks
• Sanjeev Mukhiya Gang from Nalanda district implicated in multiple exam leaks