Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government will enact a new Act to maintain the integrity of public examinations conducted in the state. 

The state Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, today gave its nod for the enactment of the Odisha Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.

The primary motive of this initiative is to prevent various forms of unfair means including impersonation, cheating and leakage of information in public examinations in Odisha.

The public (recruitment) examinations conducted by the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC), Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC), Odisha Subordinate Staff Selection Commission, Service Selection Board, Odisha Police Selection Board, State Selection Board and Odisha Joint Entrance Examination among others will come under the purview of the new Act.

All offences under the new Act will be cognizable, non-bailable and non-compoundable.

Any person or persons resorting to unfair means and offences will be punished with imprisonment up to 5 years and penalties up to Rs 10 lakh.

The service provider will also be liable to be punished with the imposition of fine up to Rs 1 crore and recovery of proportionate cost of examination.

Non-payment of the fine will invite additional punishment of imprisonment under the provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.