- India to introduce proposed changes to exam paper leak law in Lok Sabha today
- Bill proposes 5-10 years jail, fines up to Rs 50 lakh for exam unfair means offenders
- Fast-track courts and two-month case disposal timelines included in proposed amendments
India gears up for changes to its examination laws as the focus on reforms shifts to Parliament after massive nationwide protests. A Bill that seeks to amend a two-year-old anti-paper leak law has been brought in the Lok Sabha today to make legal provisions for stricter action for such offences.
The government introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, this noon though the House had to be adjourned soon after amid opposition protests.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had earlier appealed to the opposition parties to take part in the discussion.
"Today, a concrete Bill is being brought against exam paper leaks. It will be tabled in the Lok Sabha. We want all parties to take part in the discussion. If you do not participate and cause a ruckus instead, it will not send out a good message," he said.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaran, however, flagged that the Bill only imposes penalty, and does not prevent leaks.
Read: Testing Body's "Build New NTA" LinkedIn Post To Bring Exam Reforms
Sources suggest that the BJP-led NDA alliance will field young MPs to speak on the Bill, in a strategy that would try to capitalise on the country's Gen Z sentiments.
The speakers may include Bansuri Swaraj and Tejasvi Surya from the BJP, Saayoni Ghosh and Mitali Bagh (Trinamool), Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu (TDP), Lalan Singh (JD(U)), Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena), Sunil Tatkare (NCP), Anupriya Patel (Apna Dal), and Arun Bharti (LJP-Ram Vilas).
A debate lasting 8-10 hours is expected on the Bill, they said.
Questions related to the Ministry of Education are also scheduled to be asked today. The country's new Education Minister, Pralhad Joshi, has been briefed by the concerned officials and will be present during the Question Hour.
Read: PM Modi Announces Task Force On Exam Reforms Under Infosys Co-Founder
What The Bill Proposes
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act came into force in 2024. The proposed amendments to be brought in now make the Act tougher. Not just stricter punishment for leaking papers, it also brings in provisions for a fast-track court for speedy trials and a two-month timeline to dispose of such cases.
According to a copy of the Bill circulated among the Lok Sabha members, a minimum of five years in jail that extends up to 10 years has been proposed for those involved in unfair means in exams, besides a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh.
For organised crimes, the Bill proposes a minimum of seven years in jail and up to Rs 10 crore fine.
Under the current law, those leaking papers could get a minimum of three to five years in jail, and organised syndicates could attract five to 10 years in jail and a fine of at least a crore.
As per the Bill, 15 illegal acts have been identified, including leaking question papers, tampering with OMR sheets, creating fake websites, and issuing fake admit cards.
The government had been pushing major exam reforms after massive protests in the heart of the capital over the NEET paper leak, which ended with the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as education minister.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had yesterday announced a high-powered task force led by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to look into how to improve India's examination systems. Comprising some of India's top minds, it has been tasked with ensuring the reliability of upcoming competitive examinations.
