With bipartisan support, how House passed 2024 anti-paper leak Act, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 was passed by Parliament in February 2024.
• The Act aims to prevent "unfair means" in public examinations to ensure greater transparency, fairness, and credibility.
• It covers exams conducted by authorities like UPSC and NTA, but exempts students/candidates from its purview.
• The legislation stipulates a prison term of three to five years and a fine up to Rs 10 lakh for individuals involved in malpractices.
• For "organised" paper leaks, the Act provides for a jail term up to 10 years and a fine exceeding Rs 1 crore.
• The Bill received bipartisan support in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Detailed Insights:

• The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 was introduced by the then Narendra Modi government during the Budget Session.
• Union Minister Jitendra Singh highlighted the emotional toll of exam malpractices, citing a JEE aspirant's suicide.
• The Act addresses issues such as question paper leaks, impersonation, and tampering of answer sheets.
• Opposition members raised concerns that the Bill primarily focused on punishment rather than preventive measures.
• Critics also argued that existing laws like the Indian Penal Code and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 already cover similar offenses.
• The Minister clarified that this specific legislation defines "unfair means" in the context of exams, complementing broader legal frameworks.
• The National Testing Agency (NTA), a key examination body, has recently faced scrutiny due to alleged paper leaks in exams like NEET-UG.
• The government is reportedly considering amendments to the 2024 Act to make it more stringent amidst ongoing student protests.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Public Examinations: Tests conducted by government bodies for recruitment or admission to educational institutions.
• Unfair Means: Any illegal or unethical practice used to gain an advantage in an examination, such as paper leaks or impersonation.
• Bipartisan Support: Agreement or cooperation between two major political parties on a particular issue.
• Deterrent: A measure that discourages someone from doing something through fear of the consequences.