15 Actions Under Anti-Paper Leak Law: From Helping Candidates to Tampering with Computers

The Indian government has introduced the Anti-Paper Leak Law, officially known as the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024, in response to increasing instances of exam fraud, including the recent controversies surrounding the NEET UG 2024 and UGC NET 2024 exams. This new law is designed to prevent paper leaks and other fraudulent activities, ensuring the integrity of public examinations across the country.

Key Aspects of the Anti-Paper Leak Law

Offenses and Penalties: The new law classifies all related offenses as cognizable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable. This means that offenders can be arrested without a warrant, and bail is not easily granted. The offenses listed under this law include:

Leaking exam papers or answer keys.

Assisting in leaking papers or answer keys.

Possessing exam papers or OMR sheets without authorization.

Unauthorized communication to assist candidates during exams.

Tampering with computer networks or other devices during exams.

Employing proxy candidates to take exams.

Issuing fake admit cards.

Conducting fake examinations.

Issuing fraudulent documents related to exam lists or ranks.

Tampering with qualification documents.

Unauthorized tampering with answer sheets.

Tampering with seating arrangements, exam dates, or shifts.

Threatening or obstructing examination authorities.

Violating security standards set for public exams.

Releasing confidential exam-related information prematurely.

Enforcement: The Act empowers officers of DSP (Deputy Superintendent of Police) or ACP (Assistant Commissioner of Police) rank to investigate any offenses under this law. Additionally, the central government has the authority to transfer any investigation to a central agency.

Penalties: The penalties under this law are severe:

Use of unfair means in public exams can result in 3-5 years of imprisonment and fines up to ₹10 lakhs.

Service providers found guilty of facilitating exam fraud can face fines up to ₹1 crore and be banned from conducting public exams for up to four years.

Senior officials involved in such activities can face 3-10 years of imprisonment and fines up to ₹1 crore.

Organized crime related to exams can lead to 5-10 years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of ₹1 crore.

Implementation and Impact

This law came into effect on June 21, 2024, and was passed by Parliament earlier in February of the same year. Previously, there was no comprehensive law to address exam-related fraud, leaving gaps in the legal framework that allowed such activities to proliferate.

The Anti-Paper Leak Law aims to close these gaps by imposing stringent penalties on individuals and organizations involved in fraudulent activities. The law is applicable to various competitive and entrance exams conducted across the country, including those held by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Boards, banking recruitment exams, and all computer-based exams conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

Protecting Candidates

Importantly, the law focuses on targeting organized crime, mafias, and collusion in exam fraud rather than punishing students. However, candidates found involved in exam irregularities will still face consequences under the rules set by the conducting agency or commission.

By addressing these critical issues, the Anti-Paper Leak Law aims to restore faith in the examination system, ensuring fairness and integrity in the assessment of candidates across India.