The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 also known as the Anti-Paper Leak Bill 2026 was introduced and passed in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh to address examination leaks and malpractice. The bill is based on the Act of 2024 which provides for punishments, time-bound judicial processes, and institutional measures to remove unfair means from recruitment and entrance exams.
The amendments provide for strong action against cheating cartels. Penalties for individual offenders involve imprisonment for five to ten years and a fine up to ₹50 lakh. Crime organizations would be subjected to imprisonment for seven to ten years and a fine up to ₹10 crore. Service providers involved in such cases will have to pay a penalty of ₹5 crore with an eight-year debarment from conducting future public examinations.
The Bill also includes a strict schedule for delivering justice. An investigation by the police or Central Special Task Force (STF), which has been authorized in this regard, should be completed within two months. Governments of States and Union Territories have been asked to constitute Courts of Sessions as Special Fast-Track Courts for conducting day-to-day trials and deciding the case within three months of filing the chargesheet.
Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill Passed: What's Next?
As the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 has been passed in the Lok Sabha, it is also likely to be passed in the Rajya Sabha too. The next phase after enactment shall involve implementation. This shall involve consultations by the state governments and those from Union Territories with the relevant Chief Justices of the High Courts to designate Courts of Sessions as Special Fast-Track Courts and Special Public Prosecutors to handle matters of examination malpractice. On the other hand, the central government shall establish STFs that shall investigate the examination cheating business in a mandatory period of two months. Security audit of public examination test centers and private providers of such test centers is also necessary.
Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill Passed: What Is The Opposition’s Take?
The Opposition party expressed high levels of reservation with respect to the bill, considering it "a cosmetic exercise," and an admission of defeat by the government. In the course of chairing the discussion of the bill in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi of the Congress Party opined that the threat of stringent penalties alone will not be sufficient to curb corruption unless the inherent faults of the structure in organizations like the NTA are corrected. The opposition party pointed out the failure of the 2024 Act to prevent the paper leakage incident again.
Also Check: Anti Paper Leak Bill Debate Day 2: Expected Changes, What It Means for NEET, CUET, and Other National Exams
