diff --git a/assets/training/distillation/src/validate_pipeline.py b/assets/training/distillation/src/validate_pipeline.py
index 8172fdd764..a916ba7dea 100644
--- a/assets/training/distillation/src/validate_pipeline.py
+++ b/assets/training/distillation/src/validate_pipeline.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 import pandas as pd
 import json
 from argparse import Namespace
-
+from pathlib import Path
 from azureml.acft.contrib.hf import VERSION, PROJECT_NAME
 from azureml.acft.contrib.hf.nlp.constants.constants import (
     LOGS_TO_BE_FILTERED_IN_APPINSIGHTS,
@@ -93,9 +93,40 @@ def __init__(self, args: Namespace) -> None:
             self._validate_data_generation_inputs()
 
     def _get_dataframe(self, file_path: str):
-        return pd.read_json(
-            file_path, lines=True, chunksize=self._args.request_batch_size
-        )
+        if not Path(file_path).is_file():
+            raise ACFTValidationException._with_error(
+                AzureMLError.create(
+                    ACFTUserError,
+                    pii_safe_message=(
+                        f"File not found at {file_path}. Please provide a valid file path."
+                    ),
+                )
+            )
+        try:
+            return pd.read_json(
+                file_path, lines=True, chunksize=self._args.request_batch_size
+            )
+        except ValueError as e:
+            # If the file is not present pandas will read it as jsonl string
+            # raises a ValueError if it is not a valid jsonl string.
+            # also raises value error if it is not a valid jsonl file.
+            raise ACFTValidationException._with_error(
+                AzureMLError.create(
+                    ACFTUserError,
+                    pii_safe_message=(
+                        f"Error while reading JSON file. Make sure the file is a valid jsonl file. Error: {e}"
+                    ),
+                )
+            )
+        except Exception as e:
+            raise ACFTValidationException._with_error(
+                AzureMLError.create(
+                    ACFTUserError,
+                    pii_safe_message=(
+                        f"An unexpected error occurred while reading the file: {e}"
+                    ),
+                )
+            )
 
     def _get_inference_request_headers(self) -> dict:
         key = self._args.teacher_model_endpoint_key