Patna, Jan 19 (IANS) To curb the menace of mass cheating in exams for class 10 and 12, Bihar authorities have decided to impose a fine of up to Rs.20,000 on students found using unfair means and punish their guardians as well, an official said on Tuesday.

Parents, guardians, family members and friends, known for helping students to copy in the examinations, will be booked and sent to jail for violating Section 144 that will be imposed near the examination centres.

Bihar School Examination Board chairman Lal Keshwar Prasad Singh said here the board has decided to take tough measures to conduct cheating-free exams in Bihar from this year.

"We have decided to impose a fine of Rs.2,000 to Rs.20,000 on students found using unfair means,"Singh said.

He said students found cheating in exams would be expelled for three years. Earlier, the board used to debar students for one year. "They will not be allowed to appear in the exam for next three years."

Mass cheating has been reported in Bihar for years and has become an annual feature that hogs the headlines in March every year when reports and visuals of guardians and friends helping their wards surface.

Ahead of the Class 10 and Class 12 exams in Bihar in February and March, the education department has directed officials to begin preparations for cheating-free exams by installing CCTV cameras and ordering videography and live webcasting of examination centres.

Additional security forces are also being deployed. According to education department officials, nearly 14 lakh candidates will appear for intermediate exams (Class 12) from the last week of February and around 15 lakh students will write the matriculation (Class 10) exams in March this year.