Lok Sabha Passes Comprehensive Anti-Cheating Bill: Strict Penalties for Offenders

The Lok Sabha has approved the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024, aimed at combatting cheating and other unfair practices in public examinations. Spearheaded by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions, the bill outlines various forms of misconduct during exams and the corresponding penalties. The objective is to enhance transparency, fairness, and credibility in the examination systems, ensuring that genuine efforts of students are duly recognized and rewarded while deterring individuals or groups from engaging in unfair practices for monetary or wrongful gains.

Identifying Unfair Means and Offences

The bill categorizes a range of unfair means and offences during public examinations, including:

1. Leakage of question papers or answer keys
2. Collusion to leak question papers or answer keys
3. Unauthorized access to question papers or OMR response sheets
4. Providing solutions to questions by unauthorized persons
5. Assisting candidates in an unauthorized manner
6. Tampering with answer sheets or OMR response sheets
7. Violation of norms or standards set by the government
8. Tampering with documents necessary for candidate selection
9. Violation of security measures during exams
10. Manipulation in seating arrangements or exam scheduling
11. Tampering with computer networks or resources
12. Threatening or obstructing examination authorities
13. Creation of fake websites or conducting fake exams

Coverage of Examinations

The legislation applies to various examinations conducted by government bodies such as UPSC, SSC, RRB, IBPS, and others, ensuring comprehensive coverage to maintain the integrity of the examination process.

Punishment for Offences

Offences under the bill are cognizable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable. Individuals found guilty face imprisonment ranging from three to five years and fines up to ten lakh rupees. Service providers facilitating cheating may face fines up to one crore rupees and be barred from conducting examinations for four years. In cases of organized crime, offenders face a minimum of five years’ imprisonment and fines of ₹1 crore.

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