Parliament Passes Public Examinations Amendment Bill 2026; PM Modi Calls It Key to Curb Leaks

The Public Examinations (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was passed by both Houses of Parliament on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a social media post, described the legislation as a crucial step toward securing the examination system against paper leaks.

Addressing students as 'sathiyon' (compatriots) on Instagram, Mr. Modi said the Bill was part of broader measures to address the issue of examination paper leaks, which he said 'has become imperative.' The Prime Minister has increasingly used the platform to communicate directly with young students following widespread protests over the NEET exam paper leak earlier this year.

The protests, which began in New Delhi and spread across the country, led to the resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after student groups called off their agitation following his exit. Mr. Modi first turned to Instagram during those protests and has since posted on the platform several times.

In his latest message, the Prime Minister outlined steps taken by the government, including setting up a task force to develop a fool-proof examination system, establishing fast-track courts to handle leak-related cases, consulting with state governments, and now passing the Bill with input from many Members of Parliament. He warned that the 'paper leak mafia' would not be spared and would be prosecuted with the full force of law, adding that he would continue to engage with students on this issue.

The Bill is aimed at making the examination system more robust by introducing stricter penalties for those involved in leaking question papers and other malpractices. The government has emphasised that the legislation is part of a comprehensive approach to restore trust in public examinations.

Opposition parties have criticised the government for not acting sooner on the issue, pointing to recurring leaks in exams like NEET and UGC NET. They have also questioned the effectiveness of the Bill, arguing that enforcement will depend on proper implementation.