Centre dismisses 47 NTA officials, proposes harsher penalties for exam paper leaks

In a significant move to address examination malpractices, the Union Cabinet on Friday cleared a proposal to amend the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, with stricter penalties and time-bound trials. Simultaneously, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has terminated the services of 47 of its officials, with legal and criminal actions pending against some.

The proposed amendments increase imprisonment for organised exam fraud from the current three-to-five-year term to five to ten years, and raise the maximum fine to ₹10 crore. The law also provides for the establishment of fast-track courts to expedite cases, with a mandate to complete investigations and deliver judgments within three months. Fast-track courts have already been notified in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Delhi.

The decision follows a late-night address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who promised stringent action against the 'paper leak mafia'. However, it is noteworthy that since the original Act came into force on June 21, 2024, there have been no convictions under it. Over the past two decades, only two of 45 major exam leak cases have resulted in convictions, with most stuck in legal delays.

The law applies to major examining bodies including the Union Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Commission, NTA, Railway Recruitment Board, Institute of Banking Personnel Selection, and central government department recruitment boards. Key provisions prohibit premature disclosure of confidential exam information and unauthorised access to exam centres.

The Ministry of Education sources stated that the termination of NTA officials is part of a broader overhaul of the agency, which has been embroiled in controversy over paper leaks in national exams such as NEET and UGC-NET. Further reformative actions are expected.