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Parliament Monsoon Session LIVE (Img: Pintrest)
New Delhi: The Centre is set to press ahead with a key legislative agenda in Parliament on Monday, with the proposed amendment to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 expected to dominate proceedings in the Lok Sabha.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh is scheduled to introduce the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to tighten the legal framework against paper leaks and examination malpractice.
The proposed amendment aims to significantly strengthen the existing anti-paper leak law by increasing the maximum punishment to 10 years' imprisonment and raising the maximum fine to ₹10 crore for offences linked to paper leaks and other unfair practices in public examinations.
Following the introduction of the Bill, the government is expected to seek the House's approval to consider and pass the legislation. However, it is uncommon for a Bill to be introduced and passed on the same day.
The move comes amid growing public concern over repeated paper leak controversies involving competitive examinations, including NEET, which have triggered nationwide protests and demands for greater accountability.
The Congress-led Opposition is expected to continue targeting the government over the alleged police action against students protesting the NEET paper leak issue.
Opposition parties are likely to demand action against those responsible for the alleged assault on protesters and seek an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They are also expected to press for a detailed discussion on examination reforms and accountability.
The first week of the Monsoon Session witnessed repeated disruptions, with Opposition parties staging protests inside and outside Parliament over the alleged NEET paper leak controversy.
If the ongoing deadlock between the government and the Opposition eases, Parliament could witness a heated debate on examination reforms, paper leak prevention and the proposed amendments to the anti-cheating law.
Parliament monsoon session LIVE: Congress MP Naseer Hussain on Monday said the Opposition was ready for a discussion in Parliament but insisted that it should be preceded by a statement from Union home minister Amit Shah on the police action against students and an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"We are ready for discussion, we are not running away from it. It is the demand of the Opposition to have discussion. Our demands include a statement of Amit Shah on police action on the students, then discussion will happen. The other is apology from the PM," news agency PTI quoted Hussain as saying.
On the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said, "This is a big day for all of us. Regarding the incidents of paper leaks in the country so far and the recent students' protest, PM Modi took major steps and made announcements. But today, a concrete Bill is being brought. It will be tabled in the Lok Sabha. So, we want all parties to take part in the discussion. Such a strict law is being formed against exam paper leak. If you do not participate in the discussion and cause a ruckus instead, it will not send out a good message."
Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi arrived for a meeting of Opposition leaders in Parliament.
The Congress-led opposition is set to keep the pressure on the government in Parliament over the alleged police brutality against protesting students, demanding action against those responsible for the assault and an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources said on Sunday. However, the opposition's floor strategy and its stand on the bill to amend the two-year-old anti-paper leak law will be finalised at the INDIA bloc meeting in Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge's chamber in Parliament on Monday morning.
BJP MP Ashok Kumar Mittal said, “A new bill is being introduced to curb copying, cheating, and paper leaks, and to impose stringent penalties on the organised gangs that engage in such activities and jeopardise students' futures.”
He said the Bill proposes stringent punishment, including a 10-year prison term and a fine of ₹10 crore, to create a strong deterrent against those involved in exam-related fraud.
“I would like to thank the PM for personally stepping forward to discuss the issue of paper leaks with students and engaging in a direct dialogue with them,” he added.
