New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Friday approved a draft bill proposing significantly stricter punishments for paper leaks in competitive examinations, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly committed to introducing fast track courts and enhanced penalties to safeguard students’ futures.
The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Parliament House complex, gave its nod to amendments to The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
Official sources said the new provisions are designed to act as a stronger deterrent against malpractices that have repeatedly disrupted national examinations and caused distress to millions of students.
According to the approved draft, individuals involved in paper leaks will face a minimum punishment of five years’ imprisonment along with a fine.
In cases of organised paper leaks, the bill proposes a jail term of up to 10 years and a maximum fine of Rs 10 crore. This marks a substantial increase over the existing law, which provides for three to five years’ imprisonment for individuals and five to 10 years’ imprisonment with a minimum fine of Rs 1 crore for organised crimes related to cheating and paper leaks.
The amendments seek to raise financial penalties dramatically and ensure harsher consequences for repeat or large scale offenders.
Officials said the move is a direct follow up to Prime Minister Modi’s statement earlier in the day, in which he emphasised that the government would not rest after conducting examinations for over 2.2 million students and declaring results promptly.
The proposed bill is expected to strengthen the integrity of the examination system and restore confidence among students and parents.
Further details, including provisions for fast track trials, are likely to be shared when the legislation is tabled in Parliament next week.
(IANS)
