Delhi Court Sentences Former High Court Registrar to Five Years for Exam Leak

A Delhi court sentenced a former registrar recruitment of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to five years in jail for his involvement in the Haryana Civil Service Judicial Branch Examination paper leak case. Principal District and Sessions Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna handed down the sentence to Balwinder Kumar Sharma, the then Registrar Recruitment, and Sunita, the main accused.

The judge emphasised that paper leaks have severe consequences, causing unrest and anxiety among students. This issue also delays recruitments, affecting government departments' efficiency. "In a country where unemployment is a constant worry, paper leak menace adds to delay in recruitments adversely affecting the efficiency of government departments and administrative agencies," the judge stated.

Impact on Examination Integrity

The court imposed a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh on Sharma and Rs 60,000 on Sunita. Paper leaks undermine students' motivation to excel academically. The judge noted that organised rackets involving various players from the education sector are often behind such crimes.

The FIR for this case was registered in September 2017 after intervention by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana. The Supreme Court transferred the matter to Delhi in February 2021. The judge concluded that the circumstances were incriminating and formed a complete chain consistent with the culpability of the accused.

Role of Organised Rackets

Judge Chandna highlighted that crime is often committed through organised rackets involving people from coaching centres, consultants, hired agencies, and printing presses. "The issue of paper leaks has to be dealt with by effective implementation of specific stringent laws," she said.

The court released the third convict, Sushila, on time already served during the trial but imposed a fine of Rs 10,000. The case involved the leak of the question paper for the Haryana Civil Services Judicial Branch Preliminary Examination 2017.

Preventive Measures and Reforms

The judge welcomed the notification of the Public Examination Prevention of Unfair Means Act 2024 but stressed that long-term reforms are needed. "The aim must be to bring greater transparency, fairness, and credibility to public examinations," she added.

Sharma was identified as the most likely source of the leaked question paper due to his possession of it. He provided it to Sunita, who then secured the highest marks in the exam. "By virtue of his assignment as such, he was under solemn obligation to maintain the sanctity and integrity of the competitive exam," noted Judge Chandna.

The detailed vigilance enquiry found evidence against Sunita, Sharma, and Sushila. Sunita had negotiated with Sushila and another candidate, Suman, who later filed a complaint about the paper leak. "This cannot be taken as coincidence that the candidate in close relationship with Registrar Recruitment tops the examination," observed Judge Chandna.

To restore faith in examinations, stringent laws must be effectively implemented. The judge reiterated that preventive measures against malpractices should be introduced through long-term reforms to ensure transparency and credibility in public exams.