The Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at University, Board and Other Specified Examinations Act, 1982 is a state-level Act (Maharashtra Act No. XXXI of 1982) designed to criminalize and prevent unfair practices in academic and specified examinations across Maharashtra. The Act originated from the need for a special law to address issues like question paper leakages and mass copying. It was enacted to replace the earlier Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at University, Board or other specified Examinations Ordinance, 1982 (Mah. Ord. IV of 1982), which was promulgated on May 25, 1982. The Act received the President's assent on October 11, 1982.
The Act works by defining specific offenses and prescribing penalties. Section 7 prohibits copying, impersonation, or using any other unfair means in or near an examination hall, with a punishment of imprisonment up to six months or a fine up to five hundred rupees, or both. For those involved in the administration, Section 6 prohibits the unauthorized supply or publication of a question paper before the exam, which is punishable with imprisonment up to one year or a fine up to one thousand rupees, or both. A key mechanism is outlined in Section 9, which declares all offenses under the Act to be cognizable and non-bailable. The Act applies to examinations held by any University or the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (the Board). While the Act was amended by Mah. 22 of 1991, a more recent, related development is the Maharashtra Competitive Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which addresses malpractices specifically in competitive examinations.