Media headlines trigger confusion about Uttarakhand anti-copying regulation: Here’s what it says

The Uttarakhand Competitive Examination (Measures for Prevention and Redressal of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Ordinance (now regulation), popularly often called the anti-copying Ordinance, which prevents using unfair means and dishonest throughout state recruitment exams, got here into power after Governor Lt Gurmit Singh have his consent on Friday.

Many media homes reported in regards to the purported ordinance introduced by the BJP authorities within the state that may tighten the noose across the neck of the dishonest mafia within the state. However, the headlines of some such reviews have been fairly deceptive creating confusion within the thoughts of the readers in regards to the provisions specified within the ordinance.

At first look, the headline gives the look that the Ordinance entails life imprisonment for any scholar caught dishonest in exams in Uttarakhand, even for the primary time. However, that isn’t the case. Life imprisonment is the utmost punishment a person or a corporation discovered concerned in unfair means may very well be subjected to, not the one punishment, as laid out in Uttarakhand’s anti-copying Ordinance.

According to the provisions specified within the Ordinance, any scholar caught dishonest for the primary time can be subjected to 3 12 months jail time period and a tremendous of Rs 5 lakhs. For any particular person caught doing the identical for the second time, the punishment is not going to be lower than 10 years and a Rs 10 lakh tremendous.

Screenshot from the Uttarakhand Competitive Examination (Measures for Prevention and Redressal of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Ordinance
Screenshot from the Uttarakhand Competitive Examination (Measures for Prevention and Redressal of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Ordinance

If any particular person, printing press, service supplier group, administration system, or teaching institute is discovered concerned in unfair means, then provision has been made for a most punishment of life imprisonment and a tremendous of as much as 10 crore rupees for these indulging in or facilitating using unfair means in recruitment examinations.

Along with these provisions, the ordinance additionally states that the property of those candidates who use unfair means can be seized.

Additionally, Clause 11 (2) of the brand new anti-copying regulation, which got here into power within the state on the evening of February 10, has a provision for strict motion in opposition to those that unfold rumors.

Notably, the anti-copying regulation got here into being after Uttarakhand confronted two main paper leaks. 

As per reviews, this anti-copying regulation – Uttarakhand Competitive Examination (Measures for Prevention and Prevention of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Ordinance 2023 – can be enforced for each recruitment examination that the state would conduct any longer.

उत्तराखण्ड प्रतियोगी परीक्षा (भर्ती में अनुचित साधनों की रोकथाम व निवारण के उपाय) अध्यादेश, 2023 संबंधी अधिसूचना जारी।https://t.co/FjOna9TQSX

— CM Office Uttarakhand (@ukcmo) February 11, 2023

Earlier, CM Dhami himself introduced that he had authorized the Ordinance following college students’ protest in opposition to the paper leak instances within the State. Following the Governor’s assent, the Ordinance has now develop into a regulation.

First case lodged below Uttarakhand anti-copying regulation

On Monday, solely two days after the Ordinance got here into impact, the primary case below Uttarakhand’s new anti-copying statute was filed within the Uttarkashi district. According to a senior police officer, the case named a person, some nameless candidates, and a information outlet for “spreading misinformation” concerning the income sub-inspector (Patwari/Lekhpal) take a look at query paper.

“We have filed the FIR under the new anti-copying ordinance at Kotwali police station against an identified candidate (Arun Kumar) and others appearing in the Patwari/Lekhpal (exam) at a polytechnic college and a news portal for spreading misinformation that seal of the question papers was opened before it was distributed among candidates,” stated Uttarkashi superintendent of police (SP) Arpan Yaduvanshi. “A video (made by the accused) in this regard has gone viral on social media.”