Maharashtra to introduce law against paper leaks in Assembly’s Monsoon Session: Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis

Devendra Fadnavis said a fake narrative is being spread about paper leaks even as the government has completed recruitment to one lakh posts in the last two years.

According to Fadnavis, the only FIR related to 'talathi' (revenue department officials responsible for maintaining village accounts) recruitment in Maharashtra was about setting wrong answers and not any leak. (Express Photo)

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday announced that the government will introduce a law against paper leaks in competitive exams during the ongoing Monsoon Session of the state legislature, similar to the laws at the national level. He also said certain groups and individuals are spreading a “false narrative” about paper leaks.

“This government, in its span of only two years, has successfully undertaken the recruitment to one lakh posts. This is a continuous process and it will continue in future as well. Certain groups and individuals are spreading a fake narrative about paper leaks. It is important to take action against them, as it demotivates thousands of students who honestly prepare for the exams,” said Fadnavis while replying to queries raised by the opposition during the question hour session. The Monsoon Session began on June 27 and will be held until July 12.

According to Fadnavis, the only FIR related to ‘talathi’ (revenue department officials responsible for maintaining village accounts) recruitment in Maharashtra was about setting wrong answers and not any leak.

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Opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) MLA Rohit Pawar asked whether the government was planning to introduce a law against paper leaks in Maharashtra. Replying to it, Fadnavis said, “We said in the Winter Session that we would bring in the act. The delegations of students have also met us and the chief minister is also positive about it. While the Centre’s law will also be used in Maharashtra, the state government will also bring its own act against the paper leak in this session.”

The Centre in June notified the rules required to operationalise The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, the anti-cheating law passed by Parliament in February.

When BJP MLA Ashish Shelar asked what action would be taken against those who spread fake narratives, Fadnavis said he would reply to them outside the house. The minister said that his government’s clean record has resulted in recruitment to over one lakh posts.

Earlier, Opposition legislators staged a protest on the stairs of the legislative building, demanding action against the paper leaks.

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