Centre to table Bill to strengthen anti-cheating law, Pg1

Key Highlights:

• Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh is set to introduce the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha.
• The proposed legislation aims to significantly strengthen the existing Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
• It introduces mandatory two-month investigation deadlines for offenses related to unfair means in public examinations.
• The bill proposes penalties reaching up to ₹10 crore for organized crime networks involved in examination malpractices.
• Maximum imprisonment for individual offenders is increased from 3-5 years to 5-10 years, with fines up to ₹50 lakh.

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Detailed Insights:

• The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, was enacted to curb cheating and uphold the integrity of public examinations across India.
• The 2026 Amendment Bill was approved by the Union Cabinet following widespread public outrage over alleged paper leaks in competitive entrance tests like NEET-UG.
• All offenses under the 2024 Act are classified as cognizable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable, allowing for swift law enforcement action.
• The amendment proposes the establishment of Special Fast Track Courts to ensure trials are completed within three months of chargesheet filing.
• It also allows the Central Government to constitute dedicated Specialized Enforcement Units or Special Task Forces (STF) for investigating complex cases of organized cheating.
• Penalties for service providers involved in malpractices are also enhanced, with fines up to ₹5 crore and debarment from conducting exams for up to eight years.
• The bill aims to deter organized syndicates and rogue service providers from compromising examination integrity, ensuring a merit-based selection process.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Unfair Means: Defined as unauthorized access or leakage of question papers, tampering with answer sheets, obstructing exams, or manipulating results.
• Organised Crime: Unlawful activity by a person or group colluding for wrongful gain in relation to public examinations.
• Service Provider: An organization providing computer resources or other support for conducting public examinations.