Amidst allegations of paper leaks involving the Education Ministry and the National Testing Agency (NTA), the Centre has swiftly enacted a stringent new law aimed at combating malpractices and irregularities in competitive examinations. Effective from Friday night (June 21), the law introduces severe penalties, including a maximum jail term of 10 years and fines up to Rs 1 crore for those found guilty of compromising exam integrity. 

Just a day after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan mentioned that the law ministry was finalizing rules for its implementation, President Droupadi Murmu sanctioned The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, effectively making it law in February this year. The Act had been passed by the Lok Sabha on February 6 and subsequently by the Rajya Sabha on February 9.