Union Minister Jitendra Singh introduces Public Examinations Amendment Bill 2026 in Rajya Sabha amid Oppn uproar

Published 30 July 2026 · politics

Union Minister Jitendra Singh introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, a day after the

Union Minister Jitendra Singh introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, a day after the Lok Sabha cleared it following a marathon debate that saw heated exchanges between the Treasury and Opposition benches over examination paper leaks and the police crackdown on student protesters. Calling it a significant step, Singh said the Anti-Paper Leak Bill reaffirms the government's highest commitment to protecting the interests and welfare of students and young people across the country. “This bill, as all of know, has been passed by the Lower House, 10 hours of discussion time was allotted over there. Discussion did take place notwithstanding frequent interruptions and notwithstanding the fact that the entire reply was made in the din. Now, the bill has come to the Upper House. The house of elders, the house of seniors, the house of wiser, the house of mature,” Singh said, according to PTI. Quick answers to key questions • 5 QUESTIONS 1 What is the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026? ⌵ The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 aims to enhance the integrity and credibility of public examinations by introducing stricter penalties and establishing fast-track courts for handling paper leak cases.

2 Why was the Public Examinations Amendment Bill introduced? ⌵ The bill was introduced to address rampant examination paper leaks and to reaffirm the government's commitment to the welfare of students by ensuring transparency and accountability in public examinations. 3 How does the Amendment Bill strengthen penalties for examination malpractices? ⌵ The bill significantly increases penalties, with individuals facing imprisonment of 5 to 10 years and fines up to ₹50 lakh, while organized crime related to paper leaks can incur fines of up to ₹10 crore. 4 What mechanisms are proposed for fast-track investigations of paper leaks? ⌵ The bill mandates the establishment of special fast-track courts in every state to expedite the trial of paper leak cases, requiring investigations to be completed within two months and trials to proceed on a day-to-day basis. 5 Should students be concerned about future examination integrity following the amendment? ⌵ The amendment seeks to enhance the integrity and transparency of examinations, providing students with greater assurance that their efforts will be safeguarded against malpractices. He added, “...We have 4 main recruitment agencies that conduct examinations for different sectors, such as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), and the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS).