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In June 2024, the govt notified the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which aims to curb paper leaks and malpractices in examinations like UPSC, SSC, NEET, JEE and CUET. Take a look at the list of paper leak cases of this year
NEET UG paper was leaked and allegations of increasing the marks of 1563 candidates also came to light (Image: PTI)
Several big recruitment exams and entrance exams were conducted this year along with which came news of paper leaks. The year started with the UP Police Constable Recruitment Exam paper leak case in February followed by the NEET UG, CUET, Bihar CHO, and SSC CGL. Let’s take a look at the paper leak cases in 2024:
UP Police Constable Recruitment Exam 2024: The first case of paper leak case was reported in the UP Police Constable Recruitment Exam in February. Around 45 lakh youth had applied for the exam. After the UP Police paper leak, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath cancelled the recruitment exam. The paper was leaked just hours before the start of the examination on February 18. UP Police Constable Recruitment Exam papers were available between Rs 50,000 to 2 lakh. As many as 244 people were arrested in this case.
CSIR SO, ASO Recruitment: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research held the exam for the recruitment to 444 posts of SO and ASO, that is, Section Officer and Assistant Section Officer in Uttarakhand and Rajasthan. Then during the investigation, many coaching operators and solver gangs were arrested. At that time it was revealed that the candidates were helped in cheating through the Anydesk app.
UPPSC RO ARO Paper Leak: The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission conducted the preliminary examination of RO/ARO on February 11, 2024. The exam was canceled after the UPPSC RO ARO paper leak case came to light. Resorts were booked in Manesar, Haryana, and Rewa, Madhya Pradesh for the candidates appearing for the exam. There the applicants were provided with exam-related facilities. After all the applicants gathered, they were provided with question papers and answer sheets.
NEET UG Paper Leak: The NEET UG paper leak case was in the headlines for many months. The medical entrance exam was held on May 5. NEET UG paper was leaked and allegations of increasing the marks of 1563 candidates also came to light. After the release of the NEET UG Result 2024, the candidates reached the Supreme Court. This year, cases of malpractice in NEET 2024 were reported in many states. In NEET UG Revised Result 2024, the number of toppers came down from 61 to 17.
UGC NET Paper Leak: The UGC NET exam held on June 18, 2024, was cancelled by the Ministry of Education on June 19. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had informed that the UGC NET paper was leaked on the darknet and was distributed among the people through Telegram. The ministry cancelled the UGC NET paper and re-conducted it to maintain the sanctity of the exam.
JSSC CGL Paper Leak: The Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) CGL exam was conducted on September 21 and 22, 2024. On one hand, the candidates were waiting for the SSC CGL Sarkari Result, on the other hand, there was also talk of the SSC CGL paper leak. The candidates who appeared in this exam claimed that the candidates had left the OMR sheet blank. This confirmed the indication of paper leaks and rigging in the recruitment exam.
Rajasthan SI Bharti Pariksha: In the Rajasthan Police Sub Inspector (SI) Recruitment Exam 2024 paper leak case, 37 policemen and many others were arrested. Two gangs were exposed in the investigation of the Special Operations Group (SOG). More than 7.97 lakh candidates appeared in this recruitment exam for 859 posts in Rajasthan Police. The exam was conducted on September 13, 14, and 15, 2021. Then the functioning of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) was also questioned.
SSC MTS Result: Police had made a big disclosure of fraud in the SSC MTS exam going on at Purnia Digital Examination Centre located at Gulabbag Hasda Road in Purnia city of Patna. Police raided the centre on the tip-off of managing the center to pass the SSC MTS exam through fake candidates and arrested seven employees of the centre, 14 fake candidates as well as 14 real candidates.
Bihar CHO Paper Leak: The Bihar CHO exam was to be held on December 1, 2, 3, 2024. The exam held on December 1 was canceled after a paper leak case came to light. So far, 37 accused have been arrested in the Bihar CHO paper leak case. This recruitment was taken out by the State Health Committee, Bihar. The selection was to be done on contract through CBT examination. According to media reports, the centres were bought for Rs 4 lakh and students were charged Rs 5 lakh.
Meanwhile, in June 2024, a law was implemented to prevent the paper leak incident. The law was passed in February 2024. The anti-paper leak law has a provision of 3 to 5 years imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh for using unfair means in public examinations. A fine of up to Rs 1 crore can be imposed for leaking the paper in an organised manner.
