What is the National Recruitment Agency (NRA), tasked to prepare exam guidelines under anti-paper leak law?

NEW DELHI: The National Recruitment Agency (NRA) has been assigned the responsibility of formulating norms, standards, and guidelines for computer-based tests for competitive exams, in accordance to the recently enacted anti-paper leak law. These guidelines will encompass various facets of the examination process, including the registration of examination centers, seating arrangements, computer specifications, and security measures.
The new Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, dubbed as the “anti-paper leak law,” aims to curb cheating in public examinations conducted by various central agencies.Effective from June 21, this law imposes strict penalties on individuals involved in cheating or organized crimes related to public examinations.
Recently, the NRA has been directed to create standard operating procedures (SOPs) for conducting computer-based exams, according to a report by TOI.

What is the National Recruitment Agency (NRA)?

In the 2020-21 Budget, it was announced that the National Recruitment Agency (NRA) would be established as an independent, professional organization to conduct a computer-based online Common Eligibility Test (CET) for recruitment to Non-Gazetted posts. Following this announcement, more than Rs 1,500 crore was allocated for the initial three years of operation, as per reports.
The CET is designed to conduct a preliminary screening and shortlist candidates for various central government positions, with recruitment facilitated through the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), and the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS). After the CET screening, final selection will be made through specialized tests/examinations conducted by the respective recruitment agencies.
However, despite its formation nearly four years ago, the NRA has yet to conduct the proposed eligibility tests. Reports indicate that the agency has remained largely inoperative and understaffed.

What is the new anti-paper leak law?

The new law allows public examination authorities to enlist the services of current or retired government employees from central and state governments, public sector undertakings, banks, universities, and autonomous bodies to help conduct the examinations.
This move follows the Union Education Ministry’s cancellation of the UGC-NET 2024 examination on June 19, due to reports of potential breaches in the test’s integrity. The UGC-NET, held on June 18 across 317 cities, saw participation from over 1.1 million candidates. The matter is currently under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The law mandates prompt action in response to any reported incidents of unfair practices or offenses involving public servants. In such cases, the examination authority will determine whether actions were taken in good faith. A committee, headed by a Joint Secretary or equivalent officer, will be formed to investigate these incidents and report its findings to the examination authority.
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