Act punishing organised cheating comes into effect

• The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 that has provision for up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹1 crore for malpractices and organized cheating in government recruitment exams was notified by the Union government.

Highlights:

• The UGC-NET 2024 examination that was canceled on June 19 on grounds of being compromised and is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation will however not be covered by the newly enacted law.
• A notification issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday
  • “the Central government hereby appoints the 21st day of June, 2024 as the date on which the provisions of the said Act shall come into force.”
• The Act mentions punishments for “leakage of question paper or answer key”, “directly or indirectly assisting the candidate in any manner unauthorisedly in the public examination” and
• “tampering with the computer network or a computer resource or a computer system” as offenses done by a person, group of persons or institutions.
• Besides these, “creation of fake websites to cheat or for monetary gain”, “conduct of fake examination, issuance of fake admit cards or offer letters to cheat or for monetary gain” and “manipulation in seating arrangements” are also among the offences punishable under the law.
• “Any person or persons resorting to unfair means and offences under this Act shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not less than three years but which may extend to five years and with fine up to ₹10 lakh,” said the Act.
• A service provider, engaged by the public examination authority for conduct of examinations, shall also be liable to be punished with a fine up to ₹1 crore “and proportionate cost of examination shall also be recovered”.
• Such service providers shall also be barred from being assigned with any responsibility for the conduct of any public examination for a period of four years.

Prelims Takeaway:

• DoPT
• Art 15,16