Rajya Sabha Passes Anti-Paper Leak Bill; Opposition Stages Walkout

The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, completing the parliamentary process. The Lok Sabha had cleared the Bill a day earlier. Opposition members of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) walked out before Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh replied to the debate, which lasted over seven hours.

Moving the Bill, Mr. Singh said the legislation aims to safeguard the interests of students and ensure transparency in public examinations. 'The objective is to ensure greater consistency, credibility and transparency so that sincere candidates are rewarded and their future is not jeopardised by organised examination-related crimes,' he stated.

In his reply, Mr. Singh questioned the Opposition's claim of 152 paper leaks under the Modi government, saying they could not authenticate it. He highlighted government efforts to increase medical education seats and democratise education through the National Education Policy.

Earlier, Opposition Leader Mallikarjun Kharge demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into NEET paper leaks and action on protesters. He called for Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation, accusing him of not addressing student unrest. 'Despite so much unrest, you are not opening your mouth. Has someone stitched it?' he asked.

Congress MP Mukul Wasnik pointed to systemic issues in examinations. Trinamool Congress's Sagarika Ghose also demanded Mr. Shah's resignation, saying he must apologise to students. Rashtriya Janata Dal's Manoj Jha and Samajwadi Party's Ramgopal Yadav called for dismantling the National Testing Agency. CPI(M) member John Brittas criticised commercialisation of education. The DMK did not join the walkout but moved amendments, which were defeated.

The Bill now awaits presidential assent to become law.