The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024 that has provision for up to five years' imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs.1 crore for malpractices and organised cheating in government recruitment exams was notified by the Union government to come into effect from June 21.
While the protest against exams like NEET is on one side, there can be no alternative opinion that the exams conducted should be done fairly ensuring transparency.
Tamil Nadu Government and its people have opposed the central BJP government's declaration of making NEET compulsory for medical courses. Especially due to the poor rural students committing suicide from time to time despite being qualified to study medicine but their dreams not being fulfilled by the NEET exam.
Apart from this, irregularities in the conduct of NEET exams have been exposed, adding fuel to the protest fire. Similarly, National Eligibility Test (NET) for College Assistant Professor and Research Courses is conducted by the University Grants Commission ('UGC). NET exam question paper was released through 'Dark Net’.The CBI which investigated this has confirmed the malpractice in the examination.
While the release of the 'NEET' entrance exam question paper for undergraduate medical courses has already created waves across the country, the issue ofUGC NET exam has caused more headaches for the central government.
It is in this situation that the Central Government has taken strict action to prevent irregularities in the examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railways, and National Examinations Agency etc.
The central government should strictly implement this stringent law and ensure that no malpractice takes place in future examinations.