Neet UG row: Know everything about the Anti paper leak law

The government has taken a strong stand on the issues surrounding the NEET medical entrance exam. They recently decided to cancel the UGC-NET 2024 due to worries about the exam’s fairness.
Neet UG row: New Anti paper leak law The National Eligibility Test (NET) was conducted in a different manner this time. It is deviating from previous practices. Instead of the online mode, the test was conducted using pen and paper on a single day. It was June 18. This change resulted in a record-breaking number of 11 lakh students registering for the examination. The purpose of UGC-NET is to assess the eligibility of Indian nationals for various opportunities. It included junior research fellowships, assistant professor positions, and admission to PhD programs in Indian universities and colleges. The news of alleged irregularities in the exam surfaced several months after the ‘anti-cheating’ bill was passed by both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. This bill aimed to prevent fraudulent practices, such as the leaking of exam papers, in government recruitment exams. In February, President Droupadi Murmu gave her approval to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, which subsequently became a law. To address leaks, malpractices, and organized misconduct in recruitment exams like UPSC, SSC, as well as entrance tests like NEET, JEE, and CUET, the government introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. This act serves as a measure to curb such unethical practices. Provisions of anti paper leak law 2024
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 outlines penalties for unfair means. It includes imprisonment for three to five years and a fine of up to ₹10 lakh. If an organized crime involving examination authorities, service providers, or other institutions occurs, the punishment increases to imprisonment for five to 10 years and a minimum fine of ₹1 crore. The law allows agencies to seize and forfeit properties of institutions involved in organized crime to recover examination costs. Additionally, the Act designates a deputy superintendent of police or assistant commissioner of police to investigate complaints.