Anti-cheating Law Shuts Down Cheating Mafia: Uttarakhand Watershed Council Vice Chairman Shankar Koranga Targets Opposition,

Haldwani,,, Uttarakhand Watershed Council Vice Chairman Shankar Koranga took aim at the opposition, questioning the sudden surge of money among the youth and hinting at an undisclosed conspiracy behind their misdirection. Koranga asserted that the days of cheating rackets are over in the state, crediting Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s decisive implementation of the Anti-cheating Law in 2023. He emphasized that the government’s crackdown has either put cheating mafia behind bars or led to the confiscation of their properties under the Gangster Act.Koranga highlighted Uttarakhand’s troubled history of recruitment exam paper leaks, which repeatedly shattered the state’s youth’s hopes. He said the situation changed radically after the enactment of the Anti-cheating Law, making all recent government recruitment exams transparent and fair.Key Law ProvisionsLife imprisonment and fines up to ₹10 crore for masterminds behind cheating.Properties acquired through cheating are subject to confiscation.Students caught cheating face a minimum of 3 years’ imprisonment and at least ₹5 lakh fine for a first offense, and 10 years’ imprisonment plus at least ₹10 lakh fine for a repeat offense.Repeat offenders are banned from competitive exams for 10 years.Recent UKSSSC Paper Leak CaseOn September 21, during a key UKSSSC graduate-level exam, screenshots of three question paper pages were leaked on social media shortly after the test began.Main accused Khalid Malik, who allegedly sneaked a mobile phone into the exam center, took photos, and sent them to his sister Sabia.Sabia forwarded the images to Assistant Professor Suman in Tehri, who solved the questions and sent the answers back.Both Khalid and Sabia have been arrested. Sector Magistrate K.N. Tiwari and several officials were suspended for negligence.The Uttarakhand government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the supervision of a retired High Court judge. The SIT’s investigation is mandated to conclude within one month.Strict Action, Transparency, and Job CreationMore than 100 people have been jailed and over 60 properties seized under the Gangster Act since the new law’s enforcement.Over the past four years, more than 25,000 youths have secured government jobs through fair and timely recruitment. An additional 81,000 jobs have been created in the private sector, and ₹1 lakh crore investment has spurred large-scale employment and skill development, including overseas placements for state youth.Government MessageVice Chairman Koranga strongly condemned attempts to destabilize the competitive exam process, suggesting a nexus between coaching cartels and organized cheating syndicates. He affirmed the government’s zero-tolerance policy: “No one who plays with the future of our youth will be spared. Only merit and hard work will prevail in Uttarakhand.”