New Delhi. Amidst the paper leak controversy, the Central Government implemented a strict law on Friday night which aims to prevent malpractice and irregularities in competitive examinations. This law provides for a maximum punishment of 10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to one crore rupees for the culprits.

Nearly four months after President Draupadi Murmu gave assent to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, the Personnel Ministry issued a notification on Friday night saying the provisions of the law will come into force from June 21.

this step is very important

The move is considered significant amid the ongoing controversy over the UGC-NET, 2024 question paper leak. The notification said, "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 (1 of 2024), the Central Government hereby enforces the provisions of the said Act on June 21, 2024.''

Just a day before, when Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was asked when this law would be implemented, he had said that the Law Ministry is making the rules.

President Murmu approved it on February 12

The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024 was passed by the Lok Sabha on February 6 and the Rajya Sabha on February 9. President Murmu gave its assent to it on February 12.

The purpose of this Act is to prevent the use of unfair means in public examinations conducted by UPSC, SSC, Railways, Banking Recruitment Examinations and National Testing Agency (NTA) etc. It provides for a minimum imprisonment of three to five years to prevent cheating, while those involved in the organized crime of cheating will be punished with imprisonment of five to 10 years and a fine of up to one crore rupees.

Such crimes will be dealt with strictly

Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh had earlier said that the Act protects the candidates from its provisions. Before this law, there was no specific concrete law to deal with unfair means or crimes adopted by various bodies involved in the conduct of public examinations by the Central Government and its agencies.

criminals will get punishment

Let us tell you that to take strict action against the criminals who leak the papers of examinations like NET-UGC UPSC, SSC, Railway Recruitment, Banking, the Modi government had made an anti-paper law, which is named Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024. This law was passed in the month of February this year.

• According to the law, after being found guilty in the paper leak case, a person can be sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 crore.
• If found guilty of appearing in the exam on behalf of another candidate, the culprit will be punished with 3 to 5 years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10 lakh.
• Apart from this, if the name of any institute comes up in the case of irregularities in the examination, then the entire cost of the examination will be recovered from that institute. Also, the property of the institute can be confiscated.