The introduction of this bill underscores the government's dedication to maintaining the integrity of public examinations and creating a fair environment for all candidates.
In a significant move to tackle the rising issue of paper leaks in major examinations, the government is set to introduce the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024 in Parliament on Monday. The proposed legislation suggests a robust stance against such malpractices, with penalties ranging from three to five years of imprisonment for paper leak cases. For organised crimes related to paper leaks, the bill proposes a more severe punishment of 5-10 years of imprisonment, according to the business list published on the Sansad website.
The scope of the bill extends to various public examinations, including UPSC, SSC, Railways, NEET, JEE, and CUET. For examination service provider firms, the bill suggests a hefty fine of up to Rs 1 crore and the recovery of the examination's proportionate cost. Additionally, the firm could face a four-year ban from conducting public examinations if found guilty.
To ensure fair investigations, the bill mandates that officers not below the rank of deputy superintendent of police or assistant commissioner of police conduct the inquiries.
The bill identifies 20 offences and unfair means, such as impersonation, answer sheet manipulation, and document tampering, aimed at securing the merit or rank of a candidate.
Addressing the concerns raised by the youth regarding examination irregularities, President Droupadi Murmu had announced the government's commitment to addressing these issues during the joint sitting of Parliament at the Budget session's commencement.
Crucially, the bill safeguards candidates, ensuring they are not liable under its provisions, but remain covered by existing administrative regulations. The introduction of this bill underscores the government's dedication to maintaining the integrity of public examinations and creating a fair environment for all candidates.
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