Lok Sabha Passes Bill to Curb Unfair Practices in Government Recruitment Exams

The Lok Sabha passed a bill on Tuesday aimed at addressing unfair practices and irregularities in recruitment exams, proposing stringent measures, including a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of up to Rs 1 crore. Union Minister Jitendra Singh emphasized that the legislation is designed to combat paper leaks and protect the interests of students and candidates.

According to PTI, the bill was passed by the Lok Sabha after rejecting some amendments proposed by opposition members. Minister Jitendra Singh asserted that the government "will not allow meritorious candidates to be sacrificed at the altar of organized crimes." He clarified that students and candidates are not affected by the bill, and there will be no harm to government job aspirants.

This move comes in response to incidents such as the cancellation of exams like the teacher recruitment exam in Rajasthan, CET Group D, junior clerks recruitment exam in Gujarat, and constable recruitment examination in Bihar, all due to reported paper leaks.

The bill proposes the establishment of a high-level national technical committee on public examinations tasked with enhancing the security of computerized exams. This committee will oversee electronic surveillance of exam centers and develop means to ensure foolproof IT security systems.

Minister Jitendra Singh also mentioned that efforts will be made to reschedule exams promptly in case of cancellations. However, he noted that confirmed timelines cannot be provided as investigative agencies handle such cases, and they operate on their own schedules.