Karnataka High Court asks State Law University to equip exam hall invigilators with body cameras to check malpractices

Body cameras of high resolution should have facility to record video on a real-time basis and upload the recorded contents to a server so that they cannot be manipulated and could be verified when the allegations of malpractices are made, the High Court said. File photo.
| Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K

The High Court of Karnataka has directed the Karnataka State Law University (KSLU) to come out with new guidelines, which should also have provisions to provide body cameras to its examination hall invigilators and members of the flying squad to check exam malpractices as well as to safeguard interests of the students.

Body cameras of high resolution should have facility to record video on a real-time basis and upload the recorded contents to a server so that they cannot be manipulated and could be verified when the allegations of malpractices are made, the Court said.

Petition by student

Justice Suraj Govindaraj issued the directions while allowing a petition filed by Rahul H.M., a law student. The petitioner had questioned the actions initiated against him in July 2024 by the KSLU on the allegation of malpractices and said that he had been compelled to sign on pre-typed documents to admit that he had indulged in malpractices narrated in the documents.

Stating that it has come across a large number of petitions related to KSLU’s examination process in which it was brought to the Court’s notice that the students are compelled to sign on pre-typed documents containing averments admitting the exam malpractices alleged against the student, the Court said such a procedure adopted by the KSLU to deal with malpractices does not inspire confidence.

Terming malpractices during exams as a serious issue, the Court pointed out that malpractices would not be an issue of the candidate indulging in such illegal act alone but would raise questions about the sanctity of the exam process indirectly affecting the credibility of exams of other students.

Referring to the hyper-competitive environment in the fields of education and employment, the Court said that the KLSU has to safeguard the sanctity of examination process, creating a level playing field for all students by formulating guidelines/standard operating procedure.

CC cameras

Stating that the KSLU has to use technology to make the process of examination transparent, the Court also said that closed circuit (CC) cameras should be installed in all examination halls and the centres of KSLU with a provision to record video on a real-time basis and upload it to a server. These recordings would come handy in case of any malpractice, the Court said.

The proceedings before the malpractice committee should also be video recorded to ascertain whether the student has been forced to sign any document or not, the Court said while directing that statements of students should also be video recorded and uploaded to the server on a real-time basis.

The process of recordings should comply with the requirements of Section 105 (recording of search and seizure through audio-video electronic means) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, the Court said.