The Lok Sabha on Tuesday took up discussion of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stating that the government was ready to extend the discussions on the bill to up to 10 hours if needed. A six-hour discussion has been allocated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on the proposed legislation.
The Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday, aims to amend the anti-paper leaks law, with provisions for stricter punishment of up to 10 years in jail and a Rs 50 lakh fine.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who initiated the debate on Tuesday, said the legislation reflected the government's commitment to protecting students and ensuring fairness and transparency in public examinations. “Anti-paper leak Bill is reaffirmation of govt's commitment to safeguard welfare of students and youth,” he said.
He added that the Prime Minister decided that the Act, brought in 2024, needed to be strengthened. “This amendment is being brought to make the law more stringent and ensure speedy justice, to enhance the credibility of examinations. For service providers, defined as any agency, organisation, company, or firm engaged for conducting public examinations, the fine has been increased from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore. Additionally, they will be barred from conducting any examination for eight years, up from four years,” he said.
He said the question paper leaks were a widespread problem faced by almost every state and Union Territory, irrespective of which party is in power. “It is happening in Punjab, it is happening in Karnataka, whether we name those states or not,” he said.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Gaura Gogoi attacked the government, stating it was not serious about the education sector and had no intention of bringing about reforms. “This bill is merely a charade. A similar bill—the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act was introduced two years ago. Let us look at the status of the investigation into the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak; this will reveal just how serious the government is about the massive corruption that plagued the NEET exam. It is deeply distressing to note a newspaper report stating that out of the 45 individuals charge-sheeted in the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case, 44 have already been granted bail. Given the intent with which this Bill is being introduced today, it will fail again. This law stands as a monument to your failure," he added,
Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the seventh consecutive day on Tuesday amid uproar as opposition parties sought to raise the issue of police actions against NEET paper leak demonstrators in Delhi during the recent protest.
Opposition MPs were demanding that Home Minister Amit Shah should come to the House and make a statement on the issue. Treasury benches countered such a demand.
