The Centre has introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in Parliament, proposing stricter provisions to curb paper leaks and organised cheating in public examinations.
According to the government, the amendments are aimed at strengthening the anti-cheating law enacted in 2024 following a series of examination irregularities, including the NEET paper leak controversy.
The proposed legislation seeks to widen the scope of accountability by bringing examination centres, service providers, institutions and any other entities found facilitating unfair practices under its ambit.
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According to the Bill, those involved in organised paper leaks could face imprisonment of up to 10 years and fines of up to Rs 10 crore, while institutions found complicit may also be penalised.
The government has also proposed a time-bound judicial process for such cases. Under the Bill, fast-track special courts will hear paper leak cases, while High Courts will be required to dispose of appeals against the special courts' orders within three months.
The proposed timeline is aimed at ensuring quicker resolution of cases, which often remain pending for years.
According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons accompanying the Bill, the amendments also seek to strengthen investigations into organised cheating networks by empowering authorities to act against those involved in question paper leaks, impersonation, tampering with examination systems and collusion by third-party vendors associated with conducting public examinations.
The proposed changes build on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which covers recruitment and entrance examinations conducted by central agencies such as the National Testing Agency, Union Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Commission, Railway Recruitment Boards and banking recruitment bodies.
The government has said the amendments are intended to create a stronger deterrent against examination fraud, improve accountability across the examination ecosystem and restore confidence among millions of candidates appearing for competitive examinations.
The Bill will now be taken up for discussion and passage in Parliament before it can become law.
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