Congress Calls Anti-Paper Leak Bill ‘Merely a Charade’ in Lok Sabha
Parliamentary Debate Highlights Government’s Legislative Response to Exam Malpractices
Indiadailyupdate.com – The Lok Sabha engaged in extensive deliberations on Tuesday regarding the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju indicated that the government could accommodate discussions extending to ten hours should circumstances require it. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has provisioned six hours for the debate on this proposed legislation, signaling the importance placed on this legislative initiative by both ruling and opposition parties.
First presented in the Lok Sabha on Monday, the amendment introduces enhanced penalties including imprisonment terms reaching a decade alongside monetary penalties of fifty lakh rupees. Union Minister Jitendra Singh opened the discussion, emphasizing that the measure demonstrates the administration’s dedication to maintaining integrity within public examinations and protecting student interests. The bill represents a comprehensive approach to tackling the growing menace of examination paper leaks across the country.
“Anti-paper leak Bill is reaffirmation of govt’s commitment to safeguard welfare of students and youth,” he said.
According to Singh, the Prime Minister recognized that the original Act, enacted in 2024, required reinforcement. The amendment aims to create a more rigorous legal framework while facilitating expedited judicial outcomes to bolster examination credibility. This legislative effort comes at a critical time when public confidence in competitive examinations has been shaken by several high-profile paper leak incidents.
Significant changes target service providers—defined as agencies, organizations, companies, or firms responsible for administering public examinations. Their financial penalty has been raised from one crore rupees to five crore rupees. Furthermore, these entities now face an eight-year prohibition from conducting examinations, doubled from the previous four-year restriction. These enhanced measures are designed to serve as a strong deterrent against malpractices in the examination ecosystem.
Minister Singh highlighted that paper leak incidents represent a nationwide challenge affecting nearly all states and union territories regardless of political leadership. He specifically referenced occurrences in Punjab and Karnataka, noting that such problems transcend regional boundaries. The minister emphasized that the government has been working tirelessly to address these issues through both legislative and administrative measures.
Opposition Questions Government’s Commitment to Educational Reform
Congress MP Gaura Gogoi delivered a sharp critique of the administration, arguing that the government lacks genuine dedication to education sector improvements. He characterized the legislation as superficial, pointing out that an equivalent bill was already introduced two years prior. Gogoi’s intervention brought the focus back to the implementation gaps that have plagued previous efforts to combat examination fraud.
“This bill is merely a charade. A similar bill—the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act was introduced two years ago. Let us look at the status of the investigation into the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak; this will reveal just how serious the government is about the massive corruption that plagued the NEET exam.”
Gogoi expressed particular concern regarding recent developments in the NEET-UG 2024 case. He cited newspaper reports indicating that forty-four out of forty-five individuals who received charge sheets have already secured bail. The MP predicted the new legislation would encounter similar failures, describing it as evidence of governmental ineffectiveness. His arguments resonated with opposition members who have been vocal about the need for concrete action rather than mere legislative gestures.
Simultaneously, Rajya Sabha proceedings faced disruption for the seventh straight day as opposition members attempted to address concerns about police conduct during recent demonstrations by NEET paper leak protesters in Delhi. Opposition parliamentarians called for Home Minister Amit Shah to appear before the House and deliver an official statement on the matter. Treasury benches opposed this request, highlighting the growing tensions between the two houses of parliament over this issue.
