The Central government introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha on 27 July 2026, proposing stricter punishment for paper leaks and other examination-related offences.
The Bill seeks to amend the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which came into force to curb unfair practices in public examinations.
The proposed amendments were introduced days after nationwide student protests over repeated paper leak allegations.
What Changes Under The Proposed Law?
According to the Bill introduced in Parliament, the proposed amendments include:
The punishment for those convicted of paper leaks and other unfair practices will increase from three years under the 2024 Act to between five and 10 years' imprisonment.
The maximum fine will increase from Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 50 lakh.
Cases involving organised paper leak networks could attract a minimum prison sentence of seven years and a fine of up to Rs. 10 crore.
Investigations into paper leak cases must be completed within two months.
States and Union Territories may establish fast-track courts to complete trials within three months of a chargesheet being filed.
The Central government may constitute a special task force to investigate selected paper leak cases.
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Which Offences Does The Bill Cover?
The draft legislation identifies 15 offences related to unfair means in public examinations.
These include:
Leaking question papers
Tampering with OMR sheets
Creating fake examination websites
Issuing fake admit cards
Other acts intended to compromise the integrity of public examinations
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Why Was The Bill Introduced?
The amendments were introduced after weeks of nationwide protests over alleged paper leaks in competitive examinations.
On 26 July 2026, the government announced an exam reform task force headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, which has been tasked with recommending reforms to strengthen India's public examination system.
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Bill Introduced During Protest In Parliament
The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha during disruptions by Opposition MPs, who raised slogans over the police action against protesters during demonstrations in Delhi.
According to parliamentary proceedings, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla urged members to participate in the debate on the legislation before the House was adjourned amid continued protests.
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What Happens Next?
The Bill will be debated in Parliament before it can become law.
If passed by both Houses and receiving Presidential assent, the amendments would strengthen the existing legal framework governing paper leaks and other unfair practices in public examinations by increasing penalties, introducing time-bound investigations and enabling faster trials.
Source: Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, as introduced in the Lok Sabha, and parliamentary proceedings reported on 27 July 2026.
