- New bill to amend Public Examinations Act, 2024.
- Proposed jail term increase to minimum 10 years.
- Fines for culprits to exceed Rs 1 crore.
NEET Paper Leak Row: Amid the ongoing students' protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, the centre is reportedly planning to take strict measures to prevent paper leaks. As per the reports, a new bill to prevent paper leaks is likely to be approved in today's Union Cabinet meeting. The centre is planning to form fast-track courts under the new provisions for speedy trials and significantly increase both the jail term and financial penalty for the culprits in the future.
As per the reports, the amendment bill is likely to be introduced in parliament on Monday amid the ongoing monsoon session and could be passed soon after a discussion. The centre is planning to amend the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, to make it more effective, reported NDTV, citing sources. The proposed amendments are likely to be approved at a cabinet meeting scheduled for Friday afternoon.
Current Provisions
The Public Examinations Act mandates that anyone found guilty of leaking information or papers currently faces a prison sentence of three to five years and a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh. If the leak is committed by an organised network, those found guilty face a prison sentence of five to 10 years and a fine of at least Rs 1 crore. Apart from this, the examination conducting agencies or service providers can also be fined up to Rs 1 crore if they do not report the irregularities on time.
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What Changes Are Expected?
As per the reports, the jail term and penalty for those involved in paper leaks will be more stringent once the new amendments come into effect. Upon its implementation, the current sentence could be increased to at least 10 years, and the fine could be over Rs 1 crore. The proposals have been made amid the ongoing protest by the Cockroach Janata Party and Congress at Jantar Mantar.
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