The newly notified Act makes all offences cognizable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable. Those using unfair means in public exams may be imprisoned for 3-5 years and imposed a fine of up to ₹10 lakh.
Where unfair practices are found to have taken place, erring service providers engaged to conduct the exam may be fined up to ₹1 crore. The proportionate costs of the exam would also be recovered from such service providers as well, and they would be barred from the conduct of any public exam for four years.
Further, senior officials (Directors, Senior Management, persons in charge) of the service provider entity would also face prison time of three to ten years, and a fine of up to ₹1 crore if they are found to be part of any scheme to allow unfair practices to take place.
If any person or group, including those involving the public exam authority and the service provider, is found to have committed an organised crime in relation to the exam’s conduct, they would face imprisonment of five to ten years and a fine of at least ₹1 crore.
Source: Barandbench
