The Centre is set to ask states and the respective high courts to establish fast-track courts for cases registered under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, in a bid to ensure
the speedy trial of paper leak and examination malpractice cases, sources told News18 on Thursday.
According to sources, the proposed courts will hear cases on a day-to-day basis to ensure their expeditious disposal and quicker delivery of justice.
The move follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement that the government would establish fast-track courts to deal with paper leak cases, asserting that “nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth”.
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which came into force on June 21, 2024, criminalises a range of examination-related offences, including question paper leaks, unauthorised access to question papers, tampering with answer sheets and computer systems, and organised cheating in public examinations.
The law covers recruitment and entrance examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS), recruitment examinations conducted by Central government ministries and departments, the National Testing Agency (NTA), and any other examination body notified by the Centre.
As NTA-conducted examinations, including NEET, fall under the Act, cases involving unfair means in these exams will also be tried under its provisions.
Sources said four cases have so far been registered under the Act. Fast-track courts are proposed to be set up on priority under the jurisdictions of the Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh High Courts, with two of the four cases falling under the Bombay High Court’s jurisdiction.
The proposed mechanism is aimed at ensuring that prosecution in examination fraud cases does not get delayed in the regular judicial process, thereby strengthening deterrence against organised paper leak rackets and restoring confidence in the integrity of public examinations.
The move comes amid heightened public scrutiny of examination systems following irregularities in competitive examinations, particularly those conducted by the NTA. The government has maintained that swift investigation and timely prosecution are essential to safeguard the interests of students and job aspirants.
