The Union Cabinet on Friday approved a bill proposing stricter punishments for those involved in matters of examination paper leaks, government sources confirmed.
The proposed legislation, aimed at strengthening the legal framework against exam-related fraud, is expected to be introduced in Parliament next week.The Cabinet meeting chaired by the prime minister at the Parliament House complex approved the draft bill to hand stricter punishments to those involved in paper leaks than the existing laws, the sources said.
The move comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Cabinet would consider stronger legal measures to tackle paper leaks, saying the government was committed to protecting the future of students. In a video message around midnight on Thursday, Modi announced that a bill containing provisions for strong action against paper leaks will be introduced in Parliament next week.
The proposed law is also expected to provide for faster prosecution of offenders through dedicated mechanisms, including fast-track courts.The proposal comes amid a political storm over the alleged NEET paper leak and repeated disruptions in Parliament, with the Opposition demanding accountability and a discussion on examination irregularities.
The move also comes amid Cockroach Janta Party emergence as a youth-led movement after alleged paper leaks in major competitive examinations, particularly NEET, and later expanded its demands to include accountability for examination irregularities and resignation of the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Meanwhile, India already has the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which came into force in June 2024 to curb cheating and paper leaks in public examinations conducted by bodies such as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC), National Testing Agency (NTA), banking recruitment agencies and other central authorities.
The 2024 law made offences related to organised paper leaks cognizable, non-bailable and non-compoundable. It prescribes imprisonment ranging from three to 10 years, depending on the offence, and fines that can go up to Rs 1 crore for organised crimes. Service providers involved in unfair practices can also face penalties and recovery of examination costs.
The fresh bill approved by the Cabinet is expected to further tighten these provisions by increasing punishments and ensuring swifter trials, as the Centre steps up efforts to restore confidence in India's examination system following a series of high-profile paper leak cases
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