Parliament braces for paper leak prevention bill discussion on Monday

A new legislative proposal, the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024, is set to be introduced in Parliament with the goal of tackling paper leaks in major examinations. The bill is expected to bring about significant penalties for individuals involved in such malpractices.

Imprisonment and fines:

The bill, championed by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, suggests a minimum of three to five years of imprisonment for individuals implicated in paper leak cases. However, in instances of organized crimes related to paper leaks, the proposed imprisonment duration increases to 5-10 years. Additionally, service provider firms involved in examinations may face fines up to ₹1 crore. If proven guilty, these firms will also be barred from conducting public examinations for four years.

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The proposed legislation aims to combat cheating in various public examinations, including prestigious ones like UPSC, SSC, Railways, NEET, JEE, and CUET. The comprehensive list of identified offenses under the bill includes impersonation, manipulation of answer sheets, and tampering with documents for candidate shortlisting or finalizing merit.

Investigation and enforcement:

The bill mandates investigations to be conducted by officers of significant rank, not below the level of a deputy superintendent of police or assistant commissioner of police. The Union government retains the authority to refer investigations to any central agency.

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To address concerns about potential misuse, the bill ensures candidates are not personally liable under its provisions, remaining covered by existing administrative regulations. Moreover, the legislation envisions the establishment of a high-level National Technical Committee on Public Examinations. This committee will be tasked with developing protocols for securing digital platforms, implementing fool-proof IT security systems, deploying electronic surveillance, and formulating national standards for infrastructure.

President Droupadi Murmu, in her address during the Budget session, emphasized the government's commitment to addressing youth concerns about irregularities in examinations. The bill's introduction underscores the government's resolve to sternly deal with malpractices and secure the integrity of public examinations.