Stating that many teachers and officials of the Education Department were unaware of the stringent norms prescribed in the Karnataka Education Act, 1983, against exam malpractices, the Additional Superintendent of Police Jinendra Khanagavi has called upon the teachers to study the Act in detail.
Speaking at a workshop, organised by the district administration, for the teachers and officials of the Public Instruction Department on prevention of exam malpractices here on Saturday, he said that the Act called for punishment up to three years imprisonment and fine up to Rs. 1,000 for exam malpractices.
“Not many are aware that offences under Section 24 (copying or helping for it), Section 24 (impersonation or writing exam illegally on behalf of some other student), Section 118 ( punishment for malpractice) and Section 122 (refusal to do the official work) are punishable under the Act. Even loitering around the exam centre is an offence that attracts punishment up to three months,” he said.
Mr. Khanagavi said that Section 188 (disobeying the lawful order) and Section 109 ( abetment) of the India Penal Code could also be used by the police book cases against exam malpractices.
He said that more that the common people, the teachers and the officials of education department should learn about the Act without fail.
In his address, zilla panchayat CEO K.B. Shivakumar compared conducting exams to the general elections that calls for impartiality and transparency.
Regretting that several officials, deputed for the ongoing SSLC exam, were working with lethargy and inefficiency, Mr. Shivakumar warned of filing criminal cases against such officials who found to be guilty of dereliction of duty.
Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep made it clear that no official could escape punishment after being involved in malpractice or not discharging the duty properly.
He asserted that the Education Commissioner of the State had given him free hand to take any suitable action against any erring official on exam duty.
