New Delhi, Jul 27: The government on Monday introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha, proposing tougher measures to curb paper leaks, including fast-track courts, stricter punishment and time-bound investigations, even as the Opposition staged protests over alleged police action against students during the NEET agitation.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh introduced the bill amid noisy scenes in the House, where Opposition members demanded a government response to the alleged police crackdown on students during the CJP-led protest march to Parliament on July 20.
As protests continued, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House till 2 pm.
The proposed legislation seeks to amend the two-year-old anti-paper leak law in the wake of more than a month of student protests over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and related examination issues.
Under the amendment bill, fast-track courts will be established in every state to ensure speedy trials in paper leak cases. It also provides for enhanced penalties for offenders to strengthen deterrence against unfair practices in public examinations.
The legislation further mandates that investigations into paper leak cases be completed within two months, aiming to ensure swift action and timely prosecution.
The government has maintained that the proposed amendments are intended to reinforce the integrity and credibility of the public examination system by providing a stronger legal framework to tackle examination malpractices. (Agencies)
