New law cracks down on paper leak with Rs 1 crore fine, 10-year jail term

In a decisive move to curb paper leaks and cheating in public examinations, the government on Friday introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. This law comes into force amid a massive controversy surrounding the NEET and UGC-NET exams, which have been marred by allegations of paper leaks and irregularities.

The Act aims to prevent unfair means in public examinations conducted by major bodies such as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC), railways, banking recruitment examinations, and the National Testing Agency (NTA), among others.

Read More

Here’s how the new legislation aims to curb malpractice in public exams:

• Strict Punishments: The Act prescribes a minimum three-year jail term, extendable to five years, for individuals caught leaking exam papers or tampering with answer sheets. Offenders will also face fines of up to Rs 10 lakh.

• Non-Bailable Offenses: All offenses under the Act are classified as cognizable and non-bailable, meaning authorities can arrest individuals without a warrant and they cannot seek bail as a right.

• Accountability for Service Providers: Examination service providers who possess knowledge of a potential offense but fail to report it can be fined a hefty Rs 1 crore.

• Targeting Organized Crime: The law takes a harsher stance on organized cheating. Senior officials within service providers who knowingly participate in or facilitate such activities face a minimum three-year sentence, potentially extending to 10 years, along with a Rs 1 crore fine. Examination authorities or service providers involved in organized examination malpractice can be imprisoned for a minimum of five years and a maximum of 10, with the same Rs 1 crore fine.

• Protections for the Innocent: The Act offers some protection to individuals who can demonstrably prove that the offense was committed without their knowledge and that they tried their best to prevent it.

National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) – crucial exams for aspiring academics and medical professionals, respectively.

NEET, held on May 5 with about 24 lakh candidates, faced allegations of question paper leaks, particularly in Bihar. Additionally, the UGC-NET was canceled entirely due to suspicions that the integrity of the exam was compromised.

Against this backdrop, the NTA announced on Friday the postponement of the June edition of the Joint CSIR-UGC-NET, citing unavoidable circumstances and logistic issues. This test determines eligibility for junior research fellowships, assistant professorships, and PhD admissions in science courses.