New Bill Proposes 10-Year Jail, Rs 50 Lakh Fine for Paper Leaks

The Union government on Monday introduced a Bill in Lok Sabha to amend the anti-paper leaks law, proposing stricter punishments including a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh for those convicted of involvement in exam paper leaks.

The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, amends the existing 2024 Act. It sets a two-month deadline for completing investigations into paper leak cases and increases the minimum punishment from three years to five years. The maximum punishment has been raised from five years to 10 years. The fine, earlier set at Rs 10 lakh, has been increased 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 Bill lists 15 illegal acts as offences, including leaking question papers, tampering with OMR sheets, creating fake websites, and issuing fake admit cards. It empowers states and Union Territories to set up fast-track courts that can complete trials within three months of filing the chargesheet. The Centre may set up a special task force to probe certain paper leak cases.

The Bill was introduced amid protests by opposition parties, who raised slogans against alleged excesses during a crackdown on demonstrators in Delhi. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla urged members to participate in the discussion, stating it was a step towards improving the public examination process. Due to continued protests, the House was adjourned twice.

The first week of the Monsoon Session, which began on July 20, was disrupted by nationwide protests demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Opposition parties joined protesters at Jantar Mantar. The government has also announced the formation of a task force led by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to suggest reforms for a leakproof exam system.