A bill proposing stricter punishment for examination paper leaks is set to be debated in Parliament on Tuesday after being introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister Jitendra Singh. The legislation, however, faced repeated disruptions on Monday as Opposition members protested over alleged police action against student demonstrators.
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill seeks to strengthen the existing 2024 law by increasing penalties for those involved in examination malpractices. It proposes a minimum jail term of five years, extendable to 10 years, along with fines of up to ₹50 lakh for offenders. Service providers found guilty could face fines of ₹5 crore, recovery of examination costs and an eight-year ban from conducting public examinations.
The proposed law also provides for fast-track courts, completion of investigations within a fixed timeline and disposal of cases within three months of filing the charge sheet, with daily court proceedings to ensure speedy justice.
Proceedings in the Lok Sabha were repeatedly disrupted as Opposition MPs demanded accountability from Union Home Minister Amit Shah over allegations of excessive police action during the recent student protests against paper leaks.
After discussions led by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, both the ruling alliance and the Opposition agreed to hold a detailed six-hour debate on the bill on Tuesday. The Opposition has submitted 93 amendments, setting the stage for an intense discussion.
Leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi criticised the government’s handling of the student protests, alleging excessive use of force and demanding action against those responsible. The ruling BJP, meanwhile, accused the Opposition of disrupting Parliament despite demanding stronger anti-paper leak legislation.
The proposed amendments come in the wake of nationwide protests over examination paper leaks, with the Centre saying the tougher law is aimed at protecting the integrity and transparency of public examinations.
