The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Parliament House complex on Friday, approved key amendments to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 amid the ongoing protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over the NEET paper leak.
The government is now preparing to introduce the amended bill for consideration and passage in Parliament on Monday.
The draft amendments are likely to increase the jail terms of the accused and also hike the penalties imposed on them. The proposal may also include trials of the accused in fast-track courts, as announced by PM Modi on Thursday, and punishments within three months.
Under the current law, any person or persons resorting to unfair means and offences face imprisonment for three years, which may extend to five years. The accused also face a fine up to Rs 10 lakh under the Act.
The also imposes penalties and fines on service providers and institutions involved in paper leaks. According to the Act, a “service provider” means any agency, organisation, body, association of persons, business entity, company, partnership or single proprietorship firm.
“The service provider shall also be liable to be punished with imposition of a fine up to one crore rupees and proportionate cost of examination shall also be recovered from such service provider and he shall also be barred from being assigned with any responsibility for the conduct of any public examination for a period of four years,” the law reads.
The Current Law
Under the existing framework, all offences are non-bailable and non-compoundable, and investigations are conducted by an officer of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) rank or higher:
– Individual Leaks: 3 to 5 years imprisonment and a fine up to Rs 10 lakh.
– Organised Syndicates: 5 to 10 years imprisonment and a fine up to Rs 1 crore.
– Service Providers: Agencies or organisations found guilty will face a Rs 1 crore fine, recovery of full costs of examination, and a 4-year ban from conducting exams.
The Proposed Amendments
According to a report by Jagran.com, the Union Cabinet has approved the following changes:
– Higher Penalties: Jail terms will be increased, with fines likely to be raised to Rs 10 crore.
– Fast-Track Courts: In accordance with PM Modi’s announcement, cases will be tried in fast-track courts.
– Time-Bound Proceedings: Trials are proposed to be completed and punishments delivered within three months.
The Cabinet meeting came just hours after PM Modi addressed the nation’s students in a late-night video message posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.
What Did PM Modi Say?
“Paper leak is not an ordinary issue. It is very painful for lakhs of students and their families. That is why many steps have been taken in the last two and a half months. The culprits have been caught and are in jail,” the prime minister said.
He added that his government’s priority was to ensure that one year of 22 lakh aspirants does not go in vain and hence, in a short period of time, the exams were conducted and the results were announced.
Additionally, he announced that a bill with strict provisions against paper leaks will be introduced in Parliament next week, with efforts underway to pass it as soon as possible. Earlier in the day, PM Modi announced the establishment of fast-track courts to deal with paper leak cases.
The move comes amid ongoing protests by the CJP. The organisation has been demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, accountability for examination irregularities, and reforms in the education system. Additionally, the CJP is seeking Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of aspirants who died by suicide following the NEET-UG paper leak in May.