Odisha Cabinet approves law to check unfair means & improve integrity of public examinations

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government will soon bring a law equipped with provisions of stringent punishments to prevent all malpractices, and disruptions in the public examinations conducted by various state government agencies such as Odisha Public Service Commission, Odisha Staff Selection Commission etc.

During a meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi here on Wednesday, the Odisha Cabinet gave its nod for the framing of the Odisha Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 to prevent unfair means in the examinations. The persons found engaged in such unfair means will be liable to imprisonment for a period ranging from three to five years and a hefty fine.

“All offences under this Act shall be cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable. Any person or persons resorting to unfair means and offences, shall be punished with imprisonment ranging from three to five years and with a fine up to ten lakh rupees,” reads a press note released after the cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

“The service provider shall also be liable to be punished with imposition of a fine up to one crore rupees and proportionate cost of examination shall also be recovered from such service provider. In case of default of payment of fine, an additional punishment of imprisonment shall be imposed, as per the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023,” added the press note.

As per official sources, the said act will be framed to check impersonation, cheating, disrupting the examination process, leakage of information related to an exam before the scheduled time, unauthorised entry into exam halls etc. The government further asserted that this act would help in maintaining the integrity of public exams in the state.

It is pertinent here to mention that the candidates as well as political parties have raised questions over the fairness in examinations conducted for the recruitment of government employees by the OPSC, OSSC, and State Selection Board constituted under the Odisha Education (Selection Board for the State) Rules, 1992, Odisha Joint Entrance Examination, various state government departments.

The state cabinet also approved the proposal for the introduction of a new state sector scheme “Goal for Management and Treatment of Animals” (GOMATA) under the Fisheries & ARD Department, Odisha with a budget outlay of Rs 342.6587 Crore for a years period during 2024-25 to 2026-27 financial years.

“This scheme aims to benefit the livestock farmers of the State through the delivery of Veterinary service at veterinary institutions and at farmers’ doorstep through treatment, vaccination, disease control and surveillance. The implementation of the scheme will facilitate phase-wise vaccination of 2.5 Cr & treatment of 1.30 Cr livestock annually,” reads the cabinet press note.

–IANS