In Brief:
- Penalties apply only after candidates' efforts and sacrifices are already ruined.
- Replace single high-stakes exams with continuous, computer-adaptive tests (like SAT/GRE).
- Add quality institutions and seats to address extreme competition (22 lakh applicants for 1.4 lakh medical seats) and rising suicides.
In his Lok Sabha speech on the Public Examinations Amendment Bill, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor argued that India must shift focus from harsh post-facto punishments—like 10-year prison terms and ₹10-crore fines—to preventing paper leaks entirely, as damage to students' multi-year sacrifices is already done by the time culprits are caught.
Pointing to structural flaws where over 22 lakh candidates compete for just 1.4 lakh medical seats and student suicides have surged, he urged replacing high-stress, single-attempt exams with continuous, computer-adaptive testing with multiple attempts throughout the year (similar to the SAT or GRE) alongside expanding quality educational institutions.
