GOVERNMENT on Monday introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha to amend the anti-paper leaks law with stricter punishment of up to 10 years in jail and Rs 50 lakh fine, within days of largescale student protests against the NEET fiasco rocking the nation that forced Dharmendra Pradhan to resign as Education Minister. The proposed legislation was introduced by Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh amidst protests and sloganeering by the Opposition demanding a response from the Government over the police crackdown on students during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led July 20 protest march to Parliament. According to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, investigations into paper leak cases are to be completed within two months. The bill says that individuals involved in paper leaks or unfair means in exams will get jail terms for a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 10 years, and a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh. For organised crimes, the bill proposes a minimum sentence of 7 years and a fine of up to Rs 10 crore. The present law has provisions for a minimum of three to five years of imprisonment to curb cheating and those involved in organised crimes of cheating face five to 10 years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of Rs 1 crore. All the States and UTs will be empowered to set up fast-track courts, which will conduct hearings swiftly and complete the trial within three months of filing of the chargesheet, according to the bill. The Centre will be empowered to set up a special task force to investigate cases of paper leaks in certain circumstances, it says.

 

After the introduction of the Bill, Speaker Om Birla, in accordance with the procedure, called the names of senior Opposition leaders like Saugata Roy (TMC), Manish Tewari (Congress), NK Premachandran (RSP ) who wanted to speak against the introduction of the bill. As none spoke, Minister Singh was asked to introduce the bill. After the introduction, Birla asked the members to participate in the discussion as all parties have been demanding a discussion on the NEET paper leaks. “It is the first step towards improving the public examination process. Instead of sloganeering, you should discuss the bill in the House. The Government will try and incorporate the improvements suggested by you,” Birla said. As the Opposition protests continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till 2 pm. The Government announced it was bringing in the proposed legislation after student protests led by the CJP over the NEET paper leak issue gained momentum. Protests by Opposition parties over the NEET issue led to a washout of proceedings in the first session of Parliament. The Opposition’s stand on the new bill is still not clear, with Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi saying they will act on the basis of consensus. The 2024 law was brought in when the Government faced raging paper leak controversies. Before this legislation, there was no specific substantive law to deal with unfair means adopted or offences committed by various entities involved in the conduct of public examinations by the Central Government and its agencies.

 

BJP GREETS PRADHAN WITH ‘ZINDABAD’SLOGANS; OPPOSITION COUNTERS WITH ‘PAPER

 

CHOR’JIBE:BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan, who resigned as Union Education Minister following students’ protests over NEET row, was welcomed by some BJP leaders in the Parliament complex on Monday with a traditional cap and stole amid slogans like ‘Pradhan Zindabad’. Opposition MPs at the same time shouted slogans like ‘Chor Chor, Paper Chor’ and hit out at the ruling dispensation for felicitating Pradhan. Congress leader Pawan Khera said, “These are the same people who even welcomed the rapists in the Bilkis Bano case, so let’s leave them aside. Pradhan is an RSS hero because he implemented the RSS agenda through the Education Ministry. That’s why he’s their hero. But as far as Pradhan is concerned, people now know his true self has we can see on social media and on roads.” Hitting out at the Government, Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi alleged that the BJP Government is “not serious” about reforming the education system and termed the proposed anti-paper leak legislation a “cosmetic Bill”.