Public Examinations Amendment Bill 2026 Introduced in Lok Sabha: Up to 10 Years Jail, ₹10 Crore Fine for Paper Leak Syndicates

ON MONDAY, JULY 27, 2026, the Central government introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha. The Bill was introduced in Parliament during the Monsoon Session by Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh. The bill seeks to amend the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. Earlier, on Friday, July 24, 2026, the Union Cabinet had already approved the draft Bill. It proposes stricter punishments for those involved in paper leaks and examination malpractices.

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What Is the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026? 

The proposed legislation aims to tighten the laws and punishments against paper leaks and examination malpractices. By introducing this Bill, the government aims to fast-track such cases by setting up fast-track courts in every state to exclusively hear them. The law also mandates that every investigation related to a paper leak case should be completed within two months to ensure quicker justice.

As per the provisions of the Bill, any individual found guilty of leaking question papers or using unfair means during the examination process will face serious punishment. The person can face a jail term ranging from five to a maximum of 10 years, along with a fine of up to ₹50 lakh. The punishment increases in cases involving organised crime. Organised paper leak syndicates or criminal networks could face a minimum prison sentence of seven years and a fine of up to ₹10 crore.

As per parliamentary sources quoted by India Today, the Bill is expected to be debated in the Lok Sabha for eight to ten hours. BJP led NDA is likely to have lok sabha member Bansuri Swaraj and Tejasvi Surya lead the discussion, with other speakers expected from the TDP, JD(U), Shiv Sena, NCP, Apna Dal, and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). The Opposition is also expected to participate, with Trinamool Congress MPs Sayoni Ghosh and Mitali Bag among those likely to speak.

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How the CJP Protest and NEET Paper Leak Controversy Led to the New Bill 

The Bill comes before Parliament after the nationwide protests against paper leaks led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). The CJP started a protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, which later escalated into a nationwide movement against repeated paper leaks, particularly the NEET examination controversy. The agitation began in June 2026 and gained further momentum after activist Sonam Wangchuk joined on June 28, 2026 and started an indefinite hunger strike which lasted for 26 days.

The movement reached its peak on July 20, 2026, when protesters marched from Jantar Mantar to Parliament. Security forces set up barricades across major routes leading to the Parliament complex, while signal jammers reportedly disrupted communication among protesters. As the situation escalated, police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd, resulting in several children and other protesters sustaining injuries and being taken to hospitals for treatment. 

The police were accused of using excessive force allegedly including the use of pellet guns against the protesters, following which a case was filed in the Supreme Court. The matter is still being heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana. The protest, which had been ongoing since June 2026, came to an end on July 26, 2026, after the government accepted several of the protesters' demands, one of which was the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The government's newly appointed Education Minister is Pralhad Joshi, and today's Lok Sabha session will also feature his first Question Hour.

(Proofread by Vaishnavi Sivadasan)

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