Cheating In Govt Exams Undermines Principles Of Meritocracy, Equal Opportunities; Must Be Dealt With Stern Hands: Allahabad HC

A bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal observed this while denying bail to Amit Kumar, who has been accused of impersonating another candidate during the UP Police Recruitment Examination in February this year.

“…cheating in government exams undermines the principles of meritocracy and equal opportunities, which were essential for fostering social mobility and ensuring fairness in society. It perpetuates inequalities by favoring those, who could afford to pay for fraudulent activities, while disadvantaging those, who rely on their hard work and merit to succeed. The acts of cheating in examinations, thus, must be dealt with a stern hand, as their effects were not limited to an individual but impact society as a whole,” the Court observed in its order.

As per the prosecution's case, Accused Amit Kumar was apprehended on the spot during the biometric verification process, which revealed a mismatch. He was found attempting to take the exam on behalf of another candidate (Sachin Yadav), using a forged admit card and an Aadhaar card. He was booked under Sections 420/467/468/471 IPC and 3/9 of U.P. Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act.

Seeking bail in the case, the accused moved the HC, wherein his counsel argued that he had been falsely implicated in the cease and highlighted that Kumar had no prior criminal record.

The defence emphasized that Kumar had been in jail since the incident and assured them that he would not misuse bail and would cooperate fully with the trial.

On the other hand, while opposing his bail plea, the prosecution stressed the serious implications of the accused's alleged actions, which undermine the integrity of public examinations and the principles of meritocracy and equal opportunity.

Against this backdrop, the court denied Kumar's bail application after considering the arguments and evidence presented.

While doing so, the Court underscored the broader societal impact of cheating in government exams, noting that such actions perpetuate inequality by allowing those who can afford fraudulent means to gain an unfair advantage over those who rely on their merit.

Case title - Amit Kumar vs. State of U.P. 2024 LiveLaw (AB) 480

Case title - 2024 LiveLaw (AB) 480

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