In a significant move to maintain the integrity of examinations across India, new legislation has been introduced with severe punitive measures for the leaking of examination papers. This bold measure aims to safeguard school exams, college entrance tests, and government job applications from dishonest practices.
The introduced bill, known as the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, focuses on penalizing individuals involved in the dissemination of exam materials and tampering with answer sheets, particularly through collusion with officials. Perpetrators now face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of Rs 1 crore. Notably, the bill makes all related offences cognisable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable, entrusting the police with significant power to act decisively against suspects.
Union Minister Rajkumar Ranjan Singh expressed his concern, saying the act of leaking papers disrupts the process designed to evaluate each candidate’s true capabilities and ultimately hampers national growth. He emphasized the need for the bill to ensure fairness in competitive exams and nurture competent citizens for the nation’s future. Additionally, the proposed bill extends to cover government employees and third-party agencies, including digital platforms managing examinations.
The newly proposed bill also calls for the establishment of a high-level technical committee tasked with bolstering the security of the exam process, which is increasingly transitioning to digital platforms. Stringent IT security, surveillance of exam venues, and set standards for infrastructure are part of these enhancements. Furthermore, any person or entity implicated in leaking or tampering with exams will incur a minimum three-year jail term and a fine up to Rs 10 lakh, with provisions for even harsher penalties for more severe violations.
The bill’s remit covers examinations conducted by various authorities, and its scope may expand to include others in the future. Meanwhile, the Assam government proposed a parallel piece of legislation on the same day with similar objectives.
Assam’s bill includes provisions for a ten-year jail term and a Rs 10 lakh fine for those engaged in cheating during exams, underscoring the state’s commitment to upholding exam integrity. The bill addresses the possession of question papers without authorization and targets a range of malpractices by enforcing severe consequences on those involved in cheating.