The government recently passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 to crack down on paper leaks and cheating during public exams. This law is being implemented in response to the ongoing controversies surrounding exams like NEET and UGC-NET. It has been plagued by allegations of misconduct. Exams under the Public Examinations prevention of unfair means act 2024 The Act is designed to ensure fairness in exams conducted by organizations like UPSC, SSC, railways, banking recruitment exams, and NTA. Provisions under the Public Examinations prevention of unfair means 2024 There are the following provisions under the Public Examinations prevention of unfair means 2024;
- Tougher Penalties: The law mandates a minimum three-year prison sentence. It can be increased to five years, for those caught leaking exam papers or tampering with answer sheets. Offenders will also be subject to fines of up to Rs 10 lakh.
- No Bail Allowed: All violations under the law are considered cognisable and non-bailable. It allows authorities to arrest suspects without a warrant. It prevents them from seeking bail as a matter of right.
- Responsibility of Service Providers: Examination service providers who are aware of a potential offence but do not report it can be fined a substantial Rs 1 crore.
- Crackdown on Organized Cheating: The legislation adopts a stricter approach towards organised cheating. Senior officials within service providers who knowingly engage in or facilitate such activities may face a minimum three-year imprisonment, which could be extended to 10 years, in addition to a Rs 1 crore fine. Examination authorities or service providers involved in organised exam malpractice could be sentenced to a minimum of five years and a maximum of 10, along with the same Rs 1 crore fine.
- Safeguards for the Innocent: The law provides some protection for individuals who can prove that they were unaware of the offense and made efforts to prevent it.
