- At the outset, I am sure the majority of people will concur about the feeling of disappointment and a sense of Deja Vu when news of crucial examination question papers gets leaked. Wittingly or unwittingly, the immoral act tends to greatly affect those diligent, studious, and hardworking individuals who would have burned midnight’s oil to prepare for such examinations. Few dubious individuals adopting dishonest and despicable means to achieve success is akin to attempting to forego the hard way in search of instant results. There is no shortcut to success as one is expected to go through the grind before reaping the fruits of benefits. Alas, the world is not ideal but dotted with several inimical elements always looking for ways to circumvent the traditional ways.
PC: Freepik
- In the Indian context, several instances of exam paper leaks occurring has increased over the years. Worryingly, this phenomenon is not restricted to one particular area or state but spread across the country. The latest was reported from Uttarakhand last week leading to unusual protests against corruption in government exams that included stone-pelting as well. That the state government also recognizes youth frustration as hitting new levels was indicated by the speed with which it promulgated an ordinance for control and prevention of unfair means in recruitment to which the governor gave his assent within 24 hours. As swiftly, the first case was registered under the new law, where offences are non-bailable.
- Not only that, the fines go up to Rs 10 crore, and jail terms up to life imprisonment. However, any honest look at the problem will make clear that the country’s most stringent anti-copying law isn’t enough to clean up the mess. Further, last March the Rajasthan government tried to signal a similar commitment through a stricter new bill. This premise that harsher punishments will effectively disincentivize corruption even though surveillance to prevent paper leaks remains ineffectual, and defies evidence. There is no deterrence, you see. For instance, how the brutal demand-supply mismatch in jobs is exploited by the government ecosystem itself has been nakedly exposed in West Bengal. Elsewhere, the linkages are less high-profile but as crucial.
PC: Freepik
- Coming back to Uttarakhand, there are also concerns about how Sunday’s FIR names a news portal for spreading misinformation, before that the Berozgar Sangh Union President, a whistleblower, was arrested too. We know how authorities frequently dub energetic protests as politically motivated and act accordingly. Sadly, so persistent is the problem at hand that this charge appears more absurd than usual. Rather than embrace the anachronistic paper-pen mode of exams, the paperless mode could be adopted for recruitment-related exams which helps in avoiding wholesale sabotage and cancellation. It’s incumbent for governments to get off their strict law-making high horse and work on upgrading exam technologies in the age of computers.
