PUNJAB PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION EXAMINATION REFORMS ACT, 1977

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THE PUNJAB PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION 
EXAMINATION REFORMS ACT, 1977 
(X of 1977) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, extent and commencement 
2. Definitions 
3. Punishment for Malpractices 
4. Offences to be cognizable and bailable 
5. Un-pubished records to be privileged documents 
6. Official information not to be asked for by Courts 
TEXT 
1
THE PUNJAB PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION EXAMINATION REFORMS 
ACT, 1977 
(X of 1977) 
[21st June, 1977] 
An 
Act 
to provide for the eradication of malpractices in connection with examinations held by 
the Punjab Public Service Commission. 
Preamble.– WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the eradication of certain 
malpractices in connection with the examinations held by the Punjab Public Service 
Commission; 
 It is hereby enacted as follows:– 
1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be cal led the 
Punjab Public Service Commission Examination Reforms Act, 1977. 
 (2) It shall extend to the whole of the Province of the Punjab. 
 (3) It shall come into force at once. 
2. Definitions.– In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or 
context:– 
(a) “abetment” shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in the 
Pakistan Penal Code (XLV of 1860); 
(b) “answer-book” means the document containing the answer or answers 
as given by a candidate during an examination to the question or 
questions contained in the question paper meant for the said 
examination and includes a part of an answer-book; 
(c) “candidate” means a person who has applied for admission to an 
examination or has appeared as an examinee at any such 
examination; 
(d) “Commission” means the Punjab Public Service Commission; 
(e) “employee” means a person employed by the Commission 
permanently or temporarily either gratis or for remuneration; 
(f) “examination” means an examination held by the Commission; 
(g) “examiner” means a pers on appointed by the Commission for the 
purpose of examining and assessing the answer -books of a candidate 
or his ability through a written or oral exami nation and award marks 
therefor; and includes a person appointed to check the standard of 
                                                 
1This Act was passed by the Punjab Assembly on 13th June, 1977; assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on 21st June 
1977; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 21st June, 1977, pages 857-F to 857-J. 
marking of such examiner and to instruct him in assessing the marks to 
be awarded by him; 
(h) “premature disclosure of a question or question paper” means a 
disclosure of a question or any of the questions contained in a question 
paper before the time at which the quest ion or the question paper 
containing the question has to be communicated to a candidate in 
accordance with the procedure prescribed by the Commission; and 
(i) “question paper” means a document containing the question or 
questions to be put at an examinatio n for being answered by the 
candidate. 
3. Punishment for Malpractices.– Whoever is guilty of– 
(i) premature disclosure of a question or question paper knowing that 
such question or question paper is to be put or set at an examination 
written or oral; or 
(ii) printing, cyclostyling, typing or publishing for sale or purchase in any 
form whatsoever, of a guess paper or guess question pertaining or 
purporting to pertain to questions to be put or set at any examination 
written or oral; to be conducted by the Commission; or 
(iii) replacement of an answer book or any portion thereof; or 
(iv) awarding with dishonest motive  marks more or less than the marks 
deserved by a candidate, if the person doing so is an examiner; or 
(v) recording in any document  with dishonest motive, marks more or less 
than the marks awarded to a candidate by the examiner concerned; or 
(vi) supplying to a candidate during his examination answer to a question 
contained in the question paper or a question put or to be put at an oral 
examination; or 
(vii) impersonation for a candidate; or 
(viii) causing another person to impersonate for him; or 
(ix) mutilation, alteration, interpolation or erasure in any certificate or other 
document or any record maintained by the Commission, or in any 
manner using or causing to be used a certificate, document, or record 
knowing that it is so mutilated, altered, interpolated or erased; or 
(x) divulging or procuring information pertaining to the Commission’s 
Examination papers, answer books, examiners, conduct of 
examinations, fictitious roll numbers, examination results or any 
information incidental thereto; or 
(xi) falsification of official examination results by any means including 
substitution of answer books, mutilation, alteration or falsification of the 
Commission’s records; or 
(xii) impeding the progress of examination at any examination centre by 
any means whatsoever; or 
(xiii) assaulting or threatening any person incharge of an examination centre 
or any other person employed in connection with an examination; or 
(xiv) approaching or influencing any employee of the Commission to act 
corruptly or dishonestly in the conduct of any examination, declaration 
of any examination result or marking of papers, or obtaining secret 
information relating to any examination; or 
(xv) attempting or abetting the commission of any of the aforesaid acts; 
shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may 
extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to rupees one 
thousand, or with both. 
4. Offences to be cogniz able and bailable .– Notwithstanding any provision 
contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure (Act V of 1898), or any other law for the 
time being in force  all offences under this Act shall be bailable and shall be 
cognizable by the police only on a report  made by the Secretary of the Commission 
or such other official of the Commission as may be specially authorised by the 
Commission in this behalf. 
5. Un-pubished records to be privileged documents .– No employee shall 
give evidence of any fact relating to u npublished records of the Commission or 
produce any document pertaining to the affairs of the Commission except with the 
previous written sanction of the Chairman of the Commission who may give or 
withhold such permission in his discretion. 
6. Official information not to be asked for by C ourts.– No employee shall be 
compelled to give evidence relating to communications made to him in the course of 
his employment or information which came to his knowledge as such employee, 
except with the previous written pe rmission of the Chairman, who shall give or 
withhold such permission as he thinks fit.