New Delhi: The government today introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha to address malpractices and irregularities in competitive examinations, with a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and a fine of up to ₹1 crore.
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024 introduced in Lok Sabha.
— ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2024
Union Minister Jitendra Singh introduced The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha on 5 February. The main objective of this bill is to prevent paper leaks and rigging in public examinations and also to give strict punishment to the people involved in it.
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024, introduced by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, comes after Rajasthan canceled several competitive exams, including the teacher recruitment exam, Common Eligibility Test (CET) for Group-D. After the question paper leak, recruitment to posts in Haryana, recruitment examination for junior clerks in Gujarat and constable recruitment examination in Bihar have been banned
Objectives of The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024:
The new Bill envisages bringing greater transparency, fairness and credibility in public examination systems while taking action against nefarious elements.
Under this bill, a high level National Technical Committee will be constituted, the objective of this committee will be to formulate ways and means to develop digital platform security, foolproof IT education system, develop protocols ensuring national standards for electronic surveillance and infrastructure. This has to be done so that the examination process can be further strengthened against malpractices.
The bill aims to take action against organized gangs, mafia elements and people indulging in malpractices without targeting students. Government officials found guilty will also not be spared.
Prevent nefarious elements from using impersonation methods and indulging in paper leaks and other malpractices.
Penalties for offenders in The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024:
Under this bill, people found guilty can be sentenced to a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 10 years. There is also a provision for a fine of up to Rs 1 crore.
The Bill lists 20 specific offenses and unfair means, ranging from impersonation to tampering with documents. In particular, the candidates themselves are exempt from liability under the provisions of the bill, protected by existing administrative rules.
The Bill entrusts the responsibility of investigation to officers of important rank to ensure thorough investigation of alleged misconduct. The central government reserves the right to send the investigation to central agencies.
Earlier, while addressing the joint meeting of both the Houses of Parliament at the beginning of the budget session on January 31, President Draupadi Murmu had said that the government is aware of the concerns of the youth regarding irregularities in the examinations.
He said that it has been decided to make a new law to deal strictly with such irregularities.
