As many as 158 cases related to alleged recruitment examination fraud and entrance test irregularities across India are still awaiting trial despite investigations having been completed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), with some cases dating back more than two decades. In a bid to accelerate judicial proceedings, the CBI is preparing to approach high courts across the country to seek the transfer of these pending cases to Special Fast-Track Courts established under the recently enacted Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Act, 2026. The agency believes that expediting these long-pending cases will strengthen accountability and reinforce confidence in the integrity of public recruitment examinations.
According to sources, the CBI will request the respective high courts to transfer cases in which investigations have been completed and charge sheets have already been filed to the newly designated Special Fast-Track Courts. The agency also plans to deploy dedicated Special Public Prosecutors for these cases and ensure that adequate prosecutorial resources are available to facilitate time-bound trials. The objective is to prevent further delays in cases that have remained pending for years despite the completion of criminal investigations.
Available information indicates that Delhi accounts for around 25 pending recruitment-related cases in which CBI investigations have already concluded but trial proceedings have yet to commence. These include alleged irregularities in the AIIMS PG Recruitment Examination (2010–11), the Delhi University Medical and Dental Entrance Examination (2011), the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2004, the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) Recruitment Examination (2013), and teacher recruitment examinations.
In Bihar, five cases remain pending, including three linked to the alleged NEET 2024 paper leak, along with cases relating to alleged irregularities in the Pre-Medical Test (PMT) examinations conducted in 2003 and 2011. Himachal Pradesh has three pending cases, including the 2022 Police Constable Recruitment Examination, while Jammu and Kashmir has three cases involving alleged irregularities in junior engineer and police constable recruitment. Similarly, five cases are awaiting trial in Jharkhand, five in Karnataka, three in Maharashtra, eight in Rajasthan, fourteen in Tamil Nadu, and ten each in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Government officials have expressed concern that prolonged delays in commencing trials could significantly weaken criminal prosecution. As time passes, witnesses may become unavailable, grow elderly, or face difficulties recalling events accurately. Investigators also note that identifying accused persons and corroborating evidence becomes increasingly challenging over time, while witness testimonies may change, affecting the overall strength of prosecution cases. Officials believe that excessive delays could eventually jeopardise successful prosecution in several examination fraud cases.
Authorities have also pointed to the frequent transfer of investigating officers, prosecutors, and judicial officers as another major factor contributing to prolonged litigation. Every transfer often requires the incoming officer to familiarise themselves with voluminous records and evidence, resulting in additional delays. The government believes the newly enacted legal framework is intended to address these structural challenges by introducing specialised courts dedicated exclusively to public examination offences.
Under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Act, 2026, every state and Union Territory is required, in consultation with the Chief Justice of the respective High Court, to designate a Sessions Court as a Special Fast-Track Court for such offences. The legislation mandates day-to-day hearings, discourages unnecessary adjournments, and requires trials to be completed within three months from the filing of the charge sheet. Cases transferred from other courts are also expected to be disposed of within three months of their transfer.
The new law further provides for the appointment of dedicated Special Public Prosecutors in every state and Union Territory to exclusively handle examination fraud cases. It also stipulates that where an accused faces connected charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita or any other law, all related offences will be tried together before the same Special Fast-Track Court instead of being split across multiple courts. Officials believe this integrated approach will reduce procedural delays, eliminate parallel proceedings, and ensure faster and more effective adjudication of recruitment examination fraud cases across the country.
