In a recent development that has shaken the educational integrity of Assam, an incident involving the leak of Higher Secondary Examination question papers has been reported in Kokrajhar.
As per reports, question papers were available on mobile phones half an hour after the examination started.
Authorities have confirmed that one individual has been arrested in connection with this breach.
The arrest highlights the ongoing challenges faced by educational institutions in safeguarding examination materials and maintaining the sanctity of academic evaluations.
While specific details about the individual's identity or the manner in which the question papers were leaked have not been disclosed, this event underscores the need for stringent security measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
Also Read: Assam: Three years jail term for cheating in exams, new Bill tabled in Assembly
The Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) and other relevant bodies are expected to review their protocols and implement enhanced security strategies to protect against similar incidents.
Assam cabinet on February 5 introduced the 'Examination Bill' on the first day of the Budget Session of the 15th Legislative Assembly.
As per the contents of the Bill, cheating during examinations will lead to 3 years in jail along with not less than Rs 1 lakh fine. The punishment for leaking examination papers will attract Rs 10 lakh to Rs 10 crore fine and upto 10 years prison term.
Reports indicate that a new bill has been introduced to tackle exam malpractices by imposing strict penalties for cheating and leaking of question papers.
The government is reportedly taking a hard line against the unauthorized distribution of question papers, an issue that severely affected students appearing for the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) exams last academic year. The bill stipulates that candidates will not be permitted to possess question papers without authorization. Other malpractices, such as selling question papers and aiding candidates during exams, will also be penalized.
Printing of question papers for examinations can now only be conducted in government-authorized presses, as per a new regulation.