Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that a new statute to prevent exam paper leaks will be introduced during the current monsoon session of the state legislature.
Fadnavis made this statement in the state Assembly while addressing an additional question during the Question Hour concerning government job recruitment.
The need for stringent regulation to tackle paper leaks was highlighted by Congress member Balasaheb Thorat, NCP (SP) legislator Rohit Pawar, BJP's Ashish Shelar, and Bhaskar Jadhav of the Shiv Sena (UBT). Fadnavis assured the Assembly that a proposed bill to address this issue would be presented within this session, as per a report by PTI.
The push for such legislation has gained momentum following the alleged leak of the NEET paper and other exam-related misconduct. On June 29, Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole stressed the necessity for a strict statute to deter paper leaks and hold perpetrators accountable.
The NEET UG exam, conducted on May 5, has been mired in controversy due to accusations of paper leaks, cheating, and grace mark disputes. This has triggered widespread student demonstrations, with calls for the dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The proposed legislation aims to uphold the integrity of competitive examinations and ensure a transparent recruitment process for government positions.
