EXPLAINED: What Is The Anti-Paper Leak Bill? Major Reforms, Punishments, And All You Need To Know

New Delhi: Hopefully, the newly introduced law will enhance transparency, credibility, and fairness in examinations. Amid much disruption in the Parliament, the Lok Sabha passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, through a voice vote on July 29. Interestingly, it aims at making India's anti-paper leak law a bit stricter.

For the unknown, the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) (Amendment) Bill, 2026 updates the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. Notably, the law was introduced after the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. The bill was passed after a heated exchange between the government and the Opposition, as they also backed the recent students' protest across the nation.

What is the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026?

The Bill that has been passed today seeks to amend the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. It aims at preventing paper leaks and cheating in public examinations.

The 2026 Amendment Bill will strengthen it by:

• Bringing in tough punishments
• Implementing strict timelines for investigations
• Empowering the Union government to constitute Special Task Forces
• Creating special fast-track courts
• Introducing a dedicated appeals mechanism

What is the objective of the Bill?

The main objective of the Bill is to improve the transparency, fairness and credibility of public examinations following recent incidents of paper leaks and malpractices.

What are the important provisions incorporated under the Anti-Paper Leak Bill?

It is worth mentioning here that the bill incorporates several important provisions, such as:

• Penalties such as imprisonment for up to ten years
• Fines of up to ten crore rupees
• Seizure of the properties of convicted offenders

Not just this, to ensure the expeditious disposal of cases, the legislation mandates that every State Government and Union Territory Administration establish Special Fast Track Courts for the day-to-day trial.

It further provides that investigations into offences should be completed within two months from the date the information is recorded at the police station. Meanwhile, the trials must be concluded within three months of the filing of the charge sheet.

Who said what on Anti-Paper Leak 2026?

Expressing his views on the anti-paper leak bill, AAP MP Sanjay Singh stated, "It's fine that it has passed. Everyone wants the strictest possible law to be made. My question is that only when evidence comes before the fast track court will the fast track court give punishment. The CBI goes and says about Sanjeev Mukhiya (the main accused in the NEET paper leak 2024) that we have no evidence. The main accused in the NEET paper leak 2024 has been acquitted. Tomorrow we will raise all these issues."

Through a press conference on Wednesday, BJP MP Sambit Patra spoke at length about the parliamentary proceedings, the anti-paper leak Bill and responded to the allegations of the Opposition. Patras said, "... During the student agitation, our party leaders engaged with them (the students) and found a solution... A law was enacted in 2024 and subsequently amended to make it even more stringent. Around 45 MPs participated in this process. Union Minister Jitendra Singh introduced the bill in the Lok Sabha... The law was passed through a vote. I thank Prime Minister Modi... Today, Rahul Gandhi had no facts... Rahul Gandhi claimed that shots were fired at students, but the BJP's official stance is that no shots were fired."

Meanwhile, opposing the bill, N K Premachandran of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) called the bill inadequate in achieving the purpose stated in the bill. Further, he alleged that the modifications made in the proposed bill are merely cosmetic.