A seven-member panel headed by former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan has made a set of 101 recommendations to the Ministry of Education for conducting national level entrance exams in a “transparent, smooth and fair” manner.
Reasons for Exam Malpractice
- High Stakes: Competitive exams like NEET and JEE, which determine admissions to top institutes, often drive individuals towards unethical practices.
- Weak Systems: Reliance on outsourced agencies and fragile digital infrastructure creates loopholes for exploitation.
- Poor Oversight: Insufficient supervision at test centres enables manipulation.
- Corruption and Collusion: Insider involvement and private service providers contribute to leaks and irregularities.
- Technological Abuse: Use of advanced cheating devices and hacking of online systems facilitates malpractice.
Recent Exam Scandals in 2024
- NEET-UG Paper Leak: Allegations of question paper leaks led to widespread criticism of the National Testing Agency (NTA).
- UGC-NET Mismanagement: Claims of mismanagement and suspicious allocation of testing centres raised concerns.
- BPSC Scam: Allegations of paper leaks and manipulation in the candidate selection process highlighted irregularities in recruitment.
Key Recommendations of the Radhakrishnan Committee
- Restrict NTA’s Role: Limit the National Testing Agency’s responsibilities to entrance exams, reducing reliance on external agencies.
- Enhance Local Involvement: Engage state and district officials in exam processes, similar to election management practices.
- Adopt Multi-Stage Testing: Introduce adaptive and multi-session testing to ensure fairness and strengthen security.
- Digital Infrastructure: Develop 400-500 computer-based testing centres nationwide within a year.
- Bolster Security: Implement measures like sealed test centres, CCTV surveillance, and secure transportation for question papers.
- Biometric Verification: Use Digi-Exam systems for robust candidate authentication through biometrics.
- Uniform Standards: Standardize eligibility criteria, admission processes, and exam modes across institutions.
Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 (National Level)
- Objective: To prevent malpractice, promote transparency, and safeguard the integrity of public examinations in India.
- Scope: Covers national-level exams such as NEET, JEE, UGC-NET, as well as state-level recruitment and competitive exams.
- Penalties: Imposes strict consequences, including up to 10 years of imprisonment and fines up to ₹10 lakh for offenses like cheating, impersonation, or question paper leaks.
- Accountability: Holds exam organizers and service providers responsible for any lapses, mandating measures such as biometric verification and CCTV surveillance.
The Assam Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024:
- Unfair Means: Includes cheating, impersonation, paper leaks, and tampering with merit lists.
- Penalties: Imprisonment of 3-10 years and fines up to ₹1 crore for serious offenses.
- Service Providers: Fines up to ₹1 crore and 4-year bans for those facilitating cheating.
- Organized Crime: Harsh penalties for organized cheating, including property forfeiture.
- Authority Powers: Surprise checks, device seizures, and cross-agency coordination.
- Special Courts: For fast-tracking trials and public awareness campaigns.
