Lok Sabha Passes Bill Increasing Penalties for Public Examination Fraud

Lok Sabha Passes Anti-Paper Leak Bill Amid Fiery Parliamentary Debate

The passage of the bill occurred amid intense political uproar and bedlam in the House, as opposition members clashed with the governing BJP-led NDA over police actions during student protests. Following the clearance of the legislation, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day, according to outlookindia.com. The bill, introduced by Minister for Personnel Jitendra Singh, now requires approval from the Rajya Sabha before moving further in the legislative process, as noted by bharatdetails.com.

Stricter Penalties and Faster Trials Under the 2026 Amendment

The 2026 amendment strengthens the existing Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which was originally enacted when the government faced raging paper-leak controversies. Before the 2024 legislation, there was no specific substantive law to handle unfair practices by entities involved in public exams conducted by the central government and its agencies.

Under the newly passed amendment, individual convicts face increased prison sentences ranging from a minimum of five years to a maximum of 10 years, alongside fines of up to Rs 50 lakh. For organized crimes related to examination fraud, the bill proposes a minimum sentence of seven years and a minimum fine of Rs 10 crore. Service providers found involved in malpractice face an eight-year ban and a fine of Rs 5 crore, alongside potential recovery of examination-related costs.

To expedite justice, the legislation mandates that investigations be completed within two months, supported by a special task force. Furthermore, state governments and Union Territory administrations are allowed to designate Court of Session venues as Special Fast Track Courts where trials are conducted on a day-to-day basis.

Political Clashes Erupt Over Student Protests and Allegations

The legislative debate grew volatile when Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticized the government over a police crackdown on student protesters, alleging that Union Home Minister Amit Shah ordered firing and used pellet guns against students. Treasury benches strongly protested the remarks, demanding an apology and calling the statements unparliamentary. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh both urged that the unparliamentary expressions be expunged from the parliamentary records.

Defending the administration’s record, Minister Jitendra Singh stated that utmost restraint was exercised during student demonstrations to ensure no casualties occurred. Singh defended the government’s response to examination integrity issues, noting that 52 FIRs had been lodged since the initial anti-paper leak law took effect in 2024, and claimed that suicide rates linked to paper leaks had declined.

Covered Examinations and Legislative Context

The comprehensive legislation applies to public examinations conducted by major central recruitment and testing authorities.

* Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) * Staff Selection Commission (SSC) * Railway Recruitment Boards (RRB) * Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) * National Testing Agency (NTA)

The legislative push follows weeks of nationwide student-led agitations concerning examination irregularities, notably surrounding the NEET-UG examination controversies.