Source: Government of India (4)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday welcomed Parliament’s passage of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, describing it as a significant step towards creating a more transparent, credible and robust examination system. He asserted that those involved in examination paper leak rackets “will not be spared” and said the new law fulfils the government’s commitment to protecting the future of students.
In a video message shared on X after the Rajya Sabha passed the Bill, PM Modi said the government has been taking continuous steps to strengthen the integrity of public examinations through transparency, technological reforms, fast-track mechanisms and consultations with states.
“We have initiated successive steps towards a trustworthy education system. It included setting up a task force, fast-track courts and considering the viewpoints of states because, for decades, both state and the Union governments have faced the problem of examination paper leaks,” the Prime Minister said.
He said repeated incidents of paper leaks had created uncertainty about the future of students, making comprehensive reforms in the examination system essential.
“Reforms in the education system have become mandatory across the country. There is a need for greater use of technology. Any paper leak mafia or those playing with the future of the country’s children will not go unpunished. Therefore, stringent laws are also necessary,” PM Modi said.
Calling the passage of the Bill a major milestone, the Prime Minister said Parliament had held extensive discussions before approving the legislation.
“As I had promised, both Houses of Parliament discussed the Bill extensively and passed it with stringent legal provisions. A significant task has now been completed towards establishing a reliable examination system,” he said.
He added that the government would continue working to strengthen the examination process and ensure such incidents do not recur.
“We will not allow such circumstances to continue. With this confidence, let us all move forward together to fulfil the dream of a developed India,” he said.
The Bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, received Rajya Sabha approval on Thursday and now awaits President Droupadi Murmu’s assent before becoming law.
The legislation introduces significantly stricter penalties for examination-related offences. It proposes increasing the punishment for those using unfair means from the existing three to five years’ imprisonment to a minimum of five years, extendable up to ten years, while raising the maximum fine from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh.
For organised examination-related crimes, the Bill increases the minimum imprisonment from five years to seven years, extendable up to ten years, and raises the maximum fine from ₹1 crore to ₹10 crore. Service providers found involved in offences could face fines of up to ₹5 crore and debarment from conducting public examinations for up to eight years.
The legislation also empowers the Centre to constitute a Special Task Force to investigate paper leak and examination-related offences. It mandates that investigations be completed within two months and provides for designated Special Fast Track Courts to conduct day-to-day trials, which must be concluded within three months of filing the charge sheet. The Bill also provides for the appointment of Special Public Prosecutors for such courts.
Replying to the debate in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh said the amendments go beyond tackling question paper leaks and seek to comprehensively address all forms of examination-related malpractice.
He said the legislation covers offences such as question paper and answer key leaks, tampering with answer sheets and computer systems, manipulation of examination processes, creation of fake websites and admit cards, and organised attempts to facilitate unfair means during examinations.
“The Government is committed to ensuring that public examinations remain transparent, credible and merit-based so that the sincere efforts of students are protected,” the Minister said, adding that the issue concerns every family as it directly affects the aspirations of the country’s youth.
Singh said the government introduced the amendment with an open mind and welcomed constructive suggestions from Members to further strengthen the law.
Highlighting broader reforms in the education sector, he said the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has brought significant changes by increasing academic flexibility and expanding opportunities for students. The Minister said the number of universities in the country has increased from 760 to 1,293, while higher education institutions have grown from 51,534 to 64,896.
He also pointed to reforms in medical education, stating that the number of AIIMS has increased from seven to 22, medical colleges from 387 to 844, undergraduate medical seats from 51,300 to 1.39 lakh, and postgraduate seats from 31,000 to 86,300.
The Minister said educational access has also expanded through 400 operational Eklavya Model Residential Schools. On employment, he noted that government appointments increased from 7.22 lakh during 2004–2014 to 10.96 lakh during 2014–2024, alongside efforts to fill backlog vacancies and improve career progression through special promotion drives.
Highlighting entrepreneurship, Singh said recognised startups in India have grown from around 350–400 at the launch of the Startup India initiative to nearly 2.4 lakh, making India the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem. He also cited significant growth in research, innovation and patent filings.
The Minister said the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 applies to examinations conducted by major recruitment agencies, including the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) and the National Testing Agency (NTA).
He highlighted several reforms already implemented to improve transparency and efficiency in public examinations, including the abolition of interviews for specified government recruitments, online application systems, candidate-friendly examination processes, provisional answer keys and strengthened cyber security measures. The average recruitment cycle of the Staff Selection Commission has also been reduced from nine months and eight days to eight months and 24 days, he said.
Singh also referred to the Pratibha Setu initiative, which connects meritorious civil services candidates with prospective employers, noting that 335 private companies have already registered on the platform.
The Minister informed the House that implementation of recommendations made by the high-level expert committee constituted to strengthen the public examination system is progressing steadily. Of the committee’s 46 recommendations, 35 have already been implemented, including Aadhaar-based biometric authentication, AI-enabled face authentication, multi-layer frisking, CCTV surveillance, signal jammers, state and district coordination committees, grievance redressal mechanisms and restructuring of the National Testing Agency.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to protecting the integrity of public examinations, Singh said ensuring a fair, transparent and credible examination system requires the collective participation of the government, educational institutions, parents, students and society. He added that the government will continue to strengthen the examination ecosystem while remaining open to constructive suggestions from all stakeholders.
(With agency inputs)