The Union government is planning to bring stringent amendments to the existing Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, said people aware of the details on Friday.
The union cabinet will meet on Friday to clear the bill that is likely to have provisions such as extended jail term and heavy penalties for those convicted of organised paper leaks and other unfair means, said a person aware of the details.
Late on Thursday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a video message, said the cabinet will take up the issue of paper leaks and discuss a draft bill to check irregularities in examinations.
He expressed hope that the bill on the issue will be passed in the upcoming week of the ongoing monsoon session.
In a video message, the PM said following his direction of setting up fast track courts, he has been given a draft of a bill which will be discussed in the cabinet on Friday.
“This is not an ordinary issue. It is a painful moment for millions of students and their parents. In the last two and a half months, many steps have been taken… the accused are in jail,” he said.
Tens of thousands of agitators marched to Parliament in central Delhi on Monday demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over repeated paper leaks and exam irregularities.
