Lok Sabha Passes Anti Paper Leak Bill, Proposes Tougher Punishment and Faster Trials

In a major step to strengthen India’s examination system, the Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 through a voice vote. The Bill aims to crack down on paper leaks, organised exam fraud and cheating by introducing stricter punishments, faster investigations and special fast track courts.

The amendment comes after several high profile examination controversies, including the cancellation of the NEET UG 2026 examination following an alleged paper leak. The incident affected nearly two million students across the country and triggered widespread protests, leading the Centre to introduce stronger legal measures to restore confidence in public examinations.

Introducing the Bill in Parliament, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said the amendments are intended to strengthen the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 by ensuring quicker justice and creating a stronger deterrent against organised examination fraud. According to the government, the changes are aimed at protecting honest students and safeguarding the credibility of recruitment and entrance examinations.

One of the biggest changes is the increase in punishment for those found guilty of using unfair means or leaking examination papers. Under the amended law, offenders can face a minimum prison term of five years, which may extend to ten years. Earlier, the punishment ranged from three to five years. The maximum fine has also been raised from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh.

The Bill also targets organisations involved in examination fraud. Service providers found guilty may now face fines of up to ₹5 crore instead of the earlier ₹1 crore. They can also be barred from conducting public examinations for eight years, compared to the previous four year ban. Senior officials of such organisations may face imprisonment between five and ten years along with heavier financial penalties.

To ensure quicker action, the amended law proposes that investigations into paper leak cases must be completed within two months. Every state and Union Territory will designate Special Fast Track Courts to hear such cases. Trials are expected to be completed within three months after the filing of the chargesheet, while appeals must be filed within 30 days. The Centre will also have the power to set up a Special Task Force to investigate serious examination related offences.

During the debate, the government described the legislation as a major reform that would help clean up India’s examination system. However, Opposition members argued that stricter laws alone may not solve the problem unless examination agencies improve security, accountability and administration. They also pointed out that paper leak incidents continued even after the 2024 law was enacted.

Education experts believe the new law could improve confidence in public examinations by making punishments more severe and ensuring quicker legal action against offenders. However, many have also stressed that technology upgrades, stronger examination processes and better monitoring will be equally important to prevent future leaks.

The Bill will now move to the Rajya Sabha for consideration before becoming law. If approved, it is expected to strengthen the legal framework governing competitive examinations conducted by agencies such as the National Testing Agency, Union Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Commission, Railway Recruitment Boards and other notified public examination authorities.