The Right to a Fair Examination: Paper Leaks, Due Process and Constitutional Accountability

Recurring paper leaks in recruitment and entrance examinations have turned a problem of administration into a problem of constitutional law. This paper argues that a fair examination is not merely a matter of good governance but an enforceable incident of Articles 14, 16, 19(1)(g) and 21 of the Constitution of India. It examines how courts have balanced deference to examining bodies against the demands of due process, evaluates the remedy of cancellation against the innocence of honest candidates, and assesses the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 as a legislative response. It concludes that criminalisation alone cannot secure fairness, and that accountability must also be institutional: transparent procedures, reasoned decisions, public-law compensation and continuing judicial supervision where investigations falter.