TNR News Network
Shimla:
In a major move to restore integrity in recruitment exams, the Himachal Pradesh Assembly has passed the Himachal Pradesh Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2025, aimed at tackling the rising incidents of paper leaks and organised cheating. Once enacted, the law will impose strict punishments, including jail terms and heavy fines, for those involved in sabotaging competitive exams.
The Bill was introduced in the Assembly by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who stated that the government is committed to protecting the future of thousands of aspirants affected by examination malpractices. “We cannot allow vested interests to play with the dreams of our youth. This law sends a clear message that cheating will not be tolerated,” Sukhu said.
Jail up to 5 years for paper leaks, Rs 10 lakh fine
According to the provisions of the Bill, individuals caught cheating, helping others cheat or leaking exam papers will face a minimum of 3 years and up to 5 years in jail, along with fines up to Rs 10 lakh. These offences will be cognisable and non-bailable, meaning arrests can be made without a warrant and bail will not be granted easily.
Service providers, such as exam agencies, found guilty of facilitating cheating could be fined up to Rs 1 crore, forced to reimburse the entire cost of conducting the exam and barred from holding any exam for four years. Company directors and officials of such firms may face jail terms ranging from 3 to 10 years.
DSP-rank officers to investigate cases
To ensure credible and impartial investigation, only officers of the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) rank or above will be allowed to probe these cases. Lower-ranking officers will not be appointed as investigating officers under this law. The state government will also have the authority to transfer cases to specialised investigative agencies, if required.
Notably, this legislation comes in the wake of several high-profile paper leak scandals in the state, especially in the now-disbanded Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission (HPSSC), Hamirpur. The commission was suspended in December 2022 and later dissolved in February 2023 after multiple cases of question paper leaks surfaced, leading to cancellation and delays of numerous recruitment exams.
Himachal joins list of states with anti-cheating laws
Himachal now joins the growing list of states that have passed stringent anti-cheating laws to tackle examination fraud. States like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Uttarakhand have already implemented similar legislation, while Odisha is in the process of drafting one. At the national level, the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, now governs exams like NEET and JEE under central recruitment agencies.
Earlier, such offences were dealt with under standard administrative rules, and lacked clear punitive provisions. Investigations were ordered after malpractice was detected, often leading to delays and uncertain outcomes.
