Uttarakhand announces life imprisonment for exam cheaters

Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Sunday that it is life imprisonment for those who cheat in examinations or a sentence of ten years, Asian News International reported.

The CM makes such an announcement amid rising cases of recruitment scams and exam paper leaks.

Speaking at a sports and cultural festival in Kalsi, the CM said that their government would not compromise with the aspirations of the youth. To the said punishment, he added that the government would confiscate cheaters’ properties too.

Dhami claimed that as the new law is very strict and is alive in the state, now one will attempt to harm the future of the youth in the state.

On Friday, Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Gurmit Singh signed the Uttarakhand Competitive Examination (Measures for Prevention and Redressal of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Ordinance or the anti-copying ordinance.

There were student protests against the paper leak cases in the state, and Dhami announced that he approved the ordinance. After the Governor’s approval, the ordinance has become law.

The previous week, members of Berozgar Sangh, an organisation of jobless people, staged a protest demanding a CBI probe into irregularities in recruitment. The protest turned ugly after they clashed with police, who had arrived there to enforce the order.

Police alleged that the protesters threw stones at them and damaged their police vehicles. The violent incidents resulted in 15 police officers getting injured out of stone pelting.

Thirteen protesters got arrested from the spot, and the arrestees included Berozgar Sangh president Bobby Panwar.