Amid the irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test - Undergraduate (NEET-UG), the cancellation of the University Grants Commission - National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) and the postponement of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (CSIR UGC-NET), the Centre notified the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.

It may be recalled that the act was passed to prevent paper leaks and malpractices during the exam and was passed in February, stated a report by IANS.

This law has come into effect from Friday, June 21.

Under this law, any individual or group of individuals who are found to be guilty of paper leaking or tampering with answer sheets will be subjected to three years of jail term. With a fine of Rs 10 lakh, this jail term can go up to five years. All offences under the act will be non-bailable as well as cognisable.

As per the law, those exam providers who are aware of possible offences but fail to report it will be fined up to rupees one crore. 

If the service provider or the exam authority commits an organised crime, the jail term will be five years, which is the minimum, to ten years, which is the maximum. The fine will be rupees one crore. 

The 'anti-paper leak' bill, or the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024, was first introduced in the Lok Sabha on February 5 and was passed a day later. On February 9, the Rajya Sabha passed it. 

President Droupadi Murmu approved the bill in the same month following which it became law.