Don’t approve Bill on preventing cheating in competitive exams, Jharkhand BJP urges Governor

A delegation of 25 MLAs led by Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi on August 4, 2023 marched to the Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan requesting him not to approve the Bill related to cheating in competitive exams.

A delegation of 25 MLAs led by Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi on Friday marched to the Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan requesting him not to approve the Bill related to cheating in competitive exams.

The Jharkhand Assembly on Thursday, August 3, passed the Jharkhand Competitive Examination (Measure for Control and Prevention of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Bill, 2023 which mandates strict provision of life imprisonment and a fine up to ₹10 crore in case of cheating in the competitive exams.

Mr. Marandi met the Governor and pointed out the loopholes of the Bill. 

“The BJP believes that there are many loopholes in this Bill and it also violates human rights. Disobeying the directions of the Supreme Court, arresting without investigation and filing FIRs against examinees due to cheating in the examinations are not good. There are many such conditions in the Bill, which should be widely discussed and many conditions need to be deleted,” Mr. Marandi said.

In the Bill, there is a provision of arrest without warrant. If an examinee is caught copying for the first time, there would be a punishment of one year and if caught a second time then punishment would be for three years. First timers have to pay a fine of ₹5 lakh and second timers have to pay the fine of ₹10 lakh. If the fine is not paid, then it will lead to an additional punishment of nine months and 30 months respectively. If found guilty, an examinee will not be allowed to sit in any competitive examination for 10 years.

Mr. Marandi further said, “This Bill is very dangerous. If the question would be incorrect the examinees will not be allowed to speak. There is no need to take permission from any senior official before the arrest. The move of the Jharkhand government clearly indicates that they want to sell the vacancies which have been brought at large scale. The government wants to silence the voice of the youth. We have met the Governor and urged him to intervene in the matter for the sake of Jharkhand. We have urged him not to approve this Bill without making changes to it.”

BJP MLA Randhir Singh said the way the rules had been brought for the students, it was not justified as it would spoil their future. He termed it a black law. On Thursday, the BJP legislators protested against the Bill and tore its copy while comparing the Bill to the Rowlatt Act.