Delhi Police forms Special Task Force to investigate paper leak, exam-related offences
New Delhi, July 25
In a significant move to ensure transparency of competitive tests, the Delhi Police on Friday constituted a Special Task Force within its Crime Branch to investigate paper leaks and other examination-related offences.
The new unit has been formed with the approval of the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, and will operate under the provisions of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
According to Delhi Police, the STF is mandated to conduct "prompt, professional, and comprehensive investigations" into offences pertaining to public examinations. These include the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS), National Testing Agency (NTA), and various central government ministries or departments of the Central Government and their attached and subordinate offices for recruitment of staff.
The STF will be headed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Crime Branch, Delhi Police. The overall supervision and administrative control of the functioning of the STF will rest with the Special Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch.
Beyond investigation, the STF has been tasked with ensuring effective coordination with prosecuting agencies. The objective is to facilitate expeditious prosecution and ensure that trials in such cases are conducted on a day-to-day basis.
"A dedicated step towards ensuring the integrity, transparency and fairness of public examinations," the Delhi Police stated in a post on X.
The formation of this specialised cell comes against the backdrop of a national discourse on the NEET examination paper leaks and other alleged irregularities in various national examinations.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good initiative but I'll believe it when I see convictions. We've had so many committees and task forces before that just end up collecting dust. The Public Examinations Act 2024 is strong, but enforcement needs to be ruthless.
As someone who cleared SSC CGL last year, I know how demoralising it is when you hear about leaks. Meri mehnat bekar lagti hai. This STF should also coordinate with state police to track the money trail - these mafias have deep pockets.
From an outsider's perspective, this seems like a much-needed step. In Canada, exam fraud is rare because of strict digital monitoring. India's challenge is scale - millions of students, hundreds of exams. Hope this team has modern forensic capabilities.
Bahut der se hua ye kaam. The NEET paper leak showed how badly the system is broken. I just hope they don't waste time on procedural delays and actually file charge sheets within 60 days like the new act mandates.
Jai ho! Students finally have a dedicated helpline against these cheats. But please ensure the STF also focuses on prevention - stronger encryption for question papers, biometric verification at centres, and real-time CCTV monitoring.
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