Modi Cabinet Approves Bill For Stricter Punishments In Paper Leak Cases: Modi Cabinet approves Paper Leak Amendment Bill, provision for 10 years’ imprisonment and Rs 10 crore fine

New Delhi. Amidst the ongoing uproar over the NEET paper leak issue, today the Modi Cabinet has approved the Paper Leak Amendment Bill. Cabinet members discussed and then approved the proposal to make the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 more stringent. Under this bill, now there is a provision of punishment of Rs 10 and fine of Rs 10 crore for those guilty of leaking papers. Also, hearing of paper leak cases will be held in fast track court and the court will have to give its verdict in three months. Union Minister Jitendra Singh will present this amendment bill in Parliament on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had released a video message on this subject late on Thursday night in which he had said that the draft providing for fast-track courts and harsh punishment for cases related to paper leaks will be discussed in the cabinet meeting. The PM had said that the draft will be finalized after the suggestions of cabinet colleagues and since the second week of Parliament is starting from Monday, efforts will be made to pass this bill in the House as soon as possible. The Prime Minister had told the people of the country that I know paper leak is not a trivial issue. It is very painful for lakhs of students and their parents and hence many steps have been taken in the last two and a half months since the paper leak incident. The culprits have been caught and are in jail. Our most important responsibility was to ensure that the students do not have a bad year. The government, using all its power, made arrangements to conduct the NEET UG exams of 22 lakh students in the shortest possible time.

The PM further said, just five-six days ago on the 19th, the result of NEET UG also came. There are also happy reports of students who have passed across the country. But we are not among those who believe in complacency here and that is why today I had given instructions to the departments for fast-track courts. Today, after working hard, the departments even gave me the draft late at night. Let us tell you that under the existing Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024, there is a provision of three to five years of imprisonment and a fine of up to ten lakh rupees for those guilty of paper leak.