Cheats, beware! Board to tighten the screws

Cheating on your examination should be the last thing on your mind. The state board is tightening the screws on its procedures, to come into effect next year, to deal with such offenders.

The proposed stricter procedures are currently under discussion by a committee of officials from education department.

Sarjerao Jadhav, chairman of the state board, said, "There are certain areas in the existing system which need improvement or much detailed specification to show the gravity of cheating. The new process will be finalised after going through all the stages and will be put in place next year."

Jadhav added that currently, if a teacher is found guilty in a cheating case, the punishement involve barring them from the process of the board examination or cancelling their allowances, granted by the board. But we feel that this still wasn't a strong deterrent. With the new system, the punishment is likely to be much stricter."

The proposed procedures were recently uploaded on the board's website, with an invite for suggestions on tighter rules, regulations and punishment for cheating during examinations. But the effort has received lukewarm response - with just 10 suggestions. "After the improved procedures were formed, there was not much scope for suggestions. But, whatever suggestions have been given are under consideration," said Jadhav.

A three-member panel is weighing in all suggestions and is expected to take a decision  before the next.