Centre to Table Tougher Anti-Paper Leak Bill on Monday, Proposes Harsher Jail Terms and Bigger Fines

The Centre is set to introduce the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in Parliament on Monday, marking a significant overhaul of India's anti-cheating law. The proposed legislation, cleared by the Union Cabinet, seeks to impose stricter punishments for paper leaks and organised examination fraud while ensuring faster investigations and time-bound trials.

Bill to be introduced on Monday

The amendment Bill is scheduled to be taken up in Parliament on Monday during the ongoing Monsoon Session. The move comes amid widespread concern over alleged paper leaks in competitive examinations, particularly the NEET controversy, and growing demands for stronger safeguards to protect the credibility of public examinations.

Tougher punishment for offenders

Under the proposed amendments, the minimum imprisonment for individuals found guilty of offences under the Act will increase from three years to five years, while the maximum sentence will remain 10 years. The maximum fine for individuals will rise sharply from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh.

The government has also proposed significantly harsher penalties for organised examination fraud. Those involved in organised paper leak rackets or large-scale unfair practices could face a minimum of seven years' imprisonment, compared with the current five years, along with fines of at least ₹10 crore, up from the existing ₹1 crore.

Exam centres and service providers under scrutiny

The amendment expands accountability beyond individual offenders by bringing examination centres, institutions and third-party service providers under stricter legal scrutiny. Organisations engaged by examination authorities that are found complicit in paper leaks or organised cheating could face stronger punitive action under the revised law.

Faster investigations and trials

The Bill proposes mandatory time-bound investigations and trials, including provisions aimed at fast-tracking paper leak cases. The Centre believes quicker prosecution will strengthen deterrence and improve public confidence in the examination system.

Strengthening the 2024 law

The proposed amendments build on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which was enacted to curb paper leaks, organised cheating and other malpractices in major public examinations conducted by agencies such as the UPSC, SSC, NTA and recruitment bodies. The government says the latest changes are intended to plug gaps in the existing law and reinforce the integrity of India's examination system.