The  Central government has enforced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 on Friday , which aims to prevent unfair means in public examinations and common entrance tests held across the country.

The act has been basically passed to stop malpractices, use of unfair means and irregularities in competitive examinations and entails provisions for a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of up to Rs 1 crore for offenders.

 This comes amid the massive row over the alleged malpractices in conducting the NEET and UGC NET examinations. 

Several opposition political parties and student associations, including the Congress, have held protests across the country over alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET-UG and the UGC-NET. 

The public examinations Act, which comes into force from June 21, refers to examinations conducted by authorities notified by the central government, which include the the Union Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Commission, Railway Recruitment Board, National Testing Agency, Institute of Banking Personnel Selection, and Departments of the central government and their attached offices for recruitment.

The Bill was passed by the two Houses of Parliament in the Budget session which concluded on February 10. It seeks to prevent the use of unfair means in public examinations and bring greater transparency, fairness and credibility.

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