The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024, is a legislative measure that became the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 (Act No. 1 of 2024), an Act of the Parliament of India. The law was introduced in response to numerous paper leaks and malpractices in public examinations, including those conducted by the UPSC, SSC, and NTA, aiming to enhance transparency and credibility. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on February 6, 2024, and the Rajya Sabha on February 9, 2024, receiving Presidential assent on February 25, 2024, and commencing on June 21, 2024.
The Act's mechanism focuses on penalizing those who facilitate unfair means, not the candidates themselves, who remain subject to the administrative rules of the examination authority. Section 3 broadly defines "unfair means" to include unauthorized leakage of question papers, tampering with computer networks, and impersonation. For general offences, Section 10(1) prescribes imprisonment of not less than three years but extending to five years, and a fine up to Rs 10 lakh. The Act reserves the harshest penalties for organized crime, which is defined as an unlawful act by a person or group for wrongful gain in relation to public examinations. Section 11(1) mandates a minimum imprisonment of five years up to ten years, and a fine of at least one crore rupees for organized crime. All offences under the Act are classified as cognizable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable under Section 9. The Act amends the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 1944, and serves as a model for States to adopt similar legislation.