Bhubaneswar, July 24 — The Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday questioned the effectiveness of the proposed amendments to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, announced by the Union government, claiming that merely enacting stricter laws will not curb recurring question paper leak incidents unless they are implemented effectively.
Addressing a press conference at the Sankha Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, BJD Spokesperson and Media Coordinator Lenin Mohanty said the Union Cabinet's approval of amendments to the Act comes against the backdrop of nationwide protests by students over a series of examination paper leaks.
According to Mohanty, more than 150 question paper leak incidents have been reported across the country over the past 12 years, sparking widespread protests and causing anxiety among students and their families.
He also said that the movement launched by the student community over the NEET question paper leak issue has impacted the entire country.
While the proposed amendments prescribe stricter punishment for offences such as question paper leaks, Mohanty added that legislation alone would not solve the problem.
"To prevent question paper leaks and ensure accountability, the law must be implemented in a strict, impartial and effective manner. Unless there is sincere enforcement and timely punishment of those responsible, such incidents will continue," he said.
The BJD leader also targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Odisha, claiming that despite the enactment of the Odisha Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, question paper leak incidents have continued in the state.
He said that the Odisha Assembly had passed the legislation on December 6, 2024, but alleged that 23 question paper leak incidents had surfaced in the state during the past two years under the BJP's "double-engine government".
Mohanty also alleged that not a single accused involved in those cases had been punished so far, which, according to him, exposes the gap between legislation and its enforcement.
The BJD said that the permanent solution to the recurring problem of question paper leaks lies not merely in introducing tougher legal provisions but in ensuring their effective implementation and delivering swift and exemplary punishment to those found guilty.
The remarks came after the Union Cabinet approved amendments to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, aimed at strengthening legal provisions against examination-related malpractices, including question paper leaks.