PARLIAMENTonThursdaygave its approval to a Bill to amend the Anti-Paper Leak law, prescribing stricter punishment, with the Government saying it is proceeding on the major issues affecting students and sought cooperation from all sections to deal with the problem. The Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 was cleared by a voice vote in the Rajya Sabha amid Opposition walkout,aday afteritwaspassed by the Lok Sabha. The Bill, introduced earlier in the day by Jitendra Singh, was passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday after a nearly sevenhour debate. According to the Bill, individuals involved in paper leaks or unfair means in exams will get jail terms for a minimum of five years and a maximum of 10years, and a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh.

 

For organised crimes, the bill proposes a minimum sentence of seven years and a fine of up to Rs 10 crore. The amendment Bill seeks to empower all the State Governments and Union Territories administrations to designate any court of session to be a special fast-track court to try offences under the proposed law.It also provides that the proceedings in such courts are continuedonaday-to-daybasis and the trialiscompletedwithinthree months from the date of filing of the chargesheet. The bill also empowers the Central Government to constituteaspecial taskforce forinvestigation of any offence, if necessary.IntheUpperHouse,thediscussion saw interventions from bothsides,with theGovernment defending the amendments as a necessarystep todeter thepaperleakmafia through higher penalties, designatedcourts,and timebound trials.