Paper Leak Law: There is an uproar across the country over the NEET paper leak and then the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam. Meanwhile, the government has taken a big decision and implemented a strict law to prevent paper leaks. The central government has notified the ‘Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024’. The purpose of this anti-paper leak law is to prevent paper leaks and cheating in competitive examinations.
The central government has implemented the law passed in February this year from Saturday (22 June). Under this Act, there is a provision of maximum 10 years of jail sentence and fine up to one crore rupees for the offenders. The Public Examination Act has been implemented at a time when Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was asked about when it would be implemented. The Education Minister had said that the ministry is making rules.
If you do these 15 things then you will be punished
15 activities have been identified in the Public Examination Act 2024. Involvement in any of these can result in punishment up to imprisonment or ban. Information about these 15 activities is given below.
- Leaking of question paper or answer key before the exam.
- If you are involved with other people in the answer key or paper leak.
- Viewing or possessing the question paper or OMR sheet without any authority.
- If the answers to one or more questions are disclosed by any unauthorized person during the examination.
- Helping any candidate in any manner, directly or indirectly, to write answers in any examination.
- In case of tampering with the answer sheet or OMR sheet.
- Any manipulation of the assessment without authority or without a bonafide error.
- In case of wilful neglect or violation of the standards and rules prescribed by the Central Government for any examination.
- Tampering with any document which is considered necessary for shortlisting the candidate or determining his/her merit or rank.
- Deliberately violating security standards with the intent to disrupt the conduct of the examination.
- Tampering with a computer network, computer resources or any computer system is also included in this.
- Manipulating the seating arrangement, exam date or shift allocation of a candidate with the intent to cheat in the examination.
- Threatening persons associated with the public examination authority, service provider or any government agency or disrupting any examination.
- Creating fake website to extort money or commit fraud.
- There can also be punishment for conducting fake examination, issuing fake admit card or offer letter.
The main objective of this law is to stop the use of unfair means in examinations. The law also provides for punishment of 3 to 10 years and a minimum fine of Rs 1 crore to the accused.
Also read: NEET Paper Leak: ‘Paper was leaked a day before NEET exam’, confession by mastermind Amit Anand