Bengaluru: The Karnataka Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017 that proposes to declare question paper leak a serious criminal offence with a penal clause of up to five-year imprisonment is unlikely to be implemented from the current academic year following opposition from a committee of members from the Legislative Council.
The committee had opposed the penal clauses, like the jail term and Rs 5 lakh fine for teachers. The committee has recommended to the government that the duration of debarring students who were found copying has to be reduced from three years to one.
A member of the panel, on condition of anonymity, told Deccan Chronicle that all members spoke against the proposal of five-year jail for those teachers who instigate others to boycott valuation duty.
The Bill seeks to enhance the fine, imposed on those who have been assigned exam work but failed to report to duty, from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 with one-year jail.
The members opposed the clause, saying it amounted to curtailment of freedom. “Teachers have boycotted valuation work to press for their demands but have resumed work after their demands were met. Their agitation, however, did not affect the valuation work as teachers worked hard to complete their assignment,” he said.
The members wanted the government to reduce the term of debarment for students found copying from three years to one, as they felt such students, sitting idle for three years, would either commit suicide or turn into anti-social elements.
“It is wrong for the government to assume that question papers are leaked from schools. A number of employees from SSLC and PU Boards and other departments were arrested last year. Screws should be tightened at the education department, printing presses, treasury offices and during transport, instead of holding teachers responsible. With such threats, a day may come when teachers refuse to carry out the examination duty,” he warned.
New draft to be out soon
A member of the panel said that Primary and Secondary Education Minister Tanveer Sait has been asked to prepare a new draft with the proposed changes and table it in the coming months.
The draft bill needs to be vetted by members of both the Assembly and Council again before sending it to the governor for assent. “The panel will recommend to the government to withdraw the existing bill and come out with a new one as there is no hurry to implement it from the academic year 2017-18,” the source said.
The bill that was passed in the Assembly was held back in the Council last month after members belonging to all parties opposed it. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had suggested constituting a committee look into the bill with a condition that it should give its findings before the start of the Budget session. Council Chairman D.H. Shankarmurthy had formed a committee with members of all parties.
