Anti-Cheating Law: Rules yet to be framed by law ministry, says Dharmendra Pradhan

New Delhi: The law passed by Parliament in February to curb unfair practices in competitive examination has been notified by the government but the rules are yet to be framed by the law ministry, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Thursday. 

In absence of the rules, it is not clear if the provisions of the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024 can be invoked on the accused booked for the alleged irregularities in the NEET investigations and now canceled UG-NET.

“The bill has been notified, and the law ministry is on the job of framing the rules. Very soon, it will come out with stringent Rules, and all these incidents will also give us a new dimension to think with a new approach. This Bill was facilitated a few months back, we did not have a weapon to face these kinds of challenges,” Pradhan told DH on being asked about the status of the law.

Pradhan said that these challenges are not limited to a certain area. “Nowadays, all states are affected by these problems, so we came out with a holistic law. Now it will be converted to Rules and very soon all the documents will be in the public domain,” he added. While the government said that the Bill was notified, the e-gazette site did not have the gazette notification. 

The bill that stipulates 10 years in jail and fine upto Rs 1 crore, was passed by Parliament in the first week of February this year. The President gave assent to the statute on February 13 and the Act was later notified.

But in absence of rules, the jury is still out on whether the provisions of the statute can be slapped on those accused of using unfair practices in competitive exams.