Cabinet approves stricter anti-paper leak Bill: up to 10 years jail, Rs 10 crore fine
The Union Cabinet has approved a draft amendment to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, significantly increasing penalties for question paper leaks and other unfair practices in public examinations. The revised Bill, likely to be introduced in Parliament next week, proposes imprisonment of five to ten years and fines up to Rs 50 lakh for individuals involved in such offences.
For organised crimes related to exam malpractices, the draft proposes a minimum imprisonment of seven years and fines up to Rs 10 crore. The current law prescribes three to five years' imprisonment and fines up to Rs 10 lakh for individuals, and at least five years and fines up to Rs 1 crore for organised crimes.
The Bill also mandates the creation of a Special Task Force to investigate such cases within two months, and the establishment of special fast-track courts in each state and Union Territory, in consultation with the Chief Justice of the concerned high court, to ensure speedy trials. Trials must be completed within three months of filing the chargesheet, and cases already pending in courts will be transferred to these fast-track courts once the Act comes into force.
The move comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement in response to student protests demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the leak of the NEET-UG exam paper in May 2024. The Bill aims to strengthen the credibility of the public examination system, which has faced several incidents of question paper leaks and malpractices in recent years.
The Act covers examinations conducted by major bodies including the Union Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Commission, Railway Recruitment Board, Institute of Banking Personnel Selection, and the National Testing Agency.
In the statement of objects and reasons, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh noted that the 2024 Act was enacted to deter unfair means but needed amendments to further enhance transparency, fairness, and timely justice.
