NEW DELHI: In a major legislative response to the ongoing nationwide education crisis, the Lok Sabha has passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 aka Anti-Paper Leak Bill. The legislation, which seeks to heavily penalize organized examination fraud, was passed via a voice vote on Wednesday following a stormy, marathon debate.
The bill was introduced by Union Minister Jitendra Singh and proposes sweeping changes to the existing 2024 anti-paper leak law. The amendments introduce drastically harsher penalties for any individual or organized group found guilty of compromising public recruitment and entrance examinations. Under the new framework, the minimum prison term for convicted individuals is raised from three to five years, with a maximum imprisonment extending up to 10 years.
Anti-Paper Leak Bill Proposes Stricter Punishments
The financial penalties have also seen a massive increase, with the maximum fine rising from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh. For organized networks orchestrating mass paper leaks, the financial penalty is proposed to rise to ₹10 crore.
The passage of the bill occurred amidst intense sloganeering and fierce exchanges between the Treasury and Opposition benches. The debate reached a boiling point when Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of authorizing the use of force, including pellet guns, against student protesters during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) march to Parliament on July 20.
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Union Minister Jitendra Singh vehemently rejected the allegations as “factually incorrect,” stating that only tear gas was used and that no orders to open fire were issued. The bill will now move to the Rajya Sabha for approval.