New Anti-Cheating Law Operationalised

The recent operationalisation of The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 marks a significant step in India's efforts to curb cheating in public examinations.

What is The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024?

• Passed by Parliament earlier this year, the Act aims to enhance the integrity of public exams by implementing stringent measures against unfair practices.
• Key Provisions and Rules
• Framework for Computer-Based Tests (CBT): The Act outlines comprehensive guidelines for conducting Computer-Based Tests (CBT).
  • This includes every aspect from candidate registration and allocation of test centers to the secure distribution of question papers and the evaluation process.
  • The National Recruitment Agency, in consultation with stakeholders, will establish norms covering both physical and digital infrastructure requirements for CBT centers. These norms are crucial in ensuring standardized procedures across various examination bodies.
• Appointment of Centre Coordinators: Under the new rules, Centre Coordinators for Public Examinations will be appointed from a pool of serving or retired officials from central and state government bodies, public sector undertakings, and other designated organizations.
  • Their role involves overseeing the coordination of exam activities and ensuring strict adherence to prescribed norms and guidelines at examination centers nationwide.
• Defining Unfair Means: Section 3 of the Act specifies actions that constitute the use of unfair means in public examinations.
  • These include leaking question papers, tampering with answer sheets, and creating fake examination centers or websites to deceive candidates. The rules mandate stringent reporting mechanisms and actions against perpetrators to ensure swift and decisive handling of incidents.

Coverage of Public Examinations:

The Act defines 'public examinations' broadly to encompass tests conducted by designated authorities such as:

• Union Public Service Commission (i.e., for civil service entrance exams)
• Staff Selection Commission (i.e., for posts in union ministries and subordinate offices)
• Railway Recruitment Boards (i.e., for certain kinds of jobs in the Indian Railways)
• Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (i.e., for all public sector banks, except State Bank of India)
• National Testing Agency (i.e., for entrance exams for admission to higher educational institutions)
• Additionally, ministries, departments, and their offices responsible for staff recruitment are also included under its purview.

Rationale for the Law:

• The enactment of this law comes in response to widespread instances of question paper leaks and other malpractices disrupting examination processes across the country.
• The law seeks to restore confidence in the examination system, assuring candidates that genuine efforts will be duly recognized and rewarded.
• It is designed not only to prevent cheating but also to uphold the fairness and credibility of India's public examination systems.