New Bill Aims to Combat Exam Cheating with Stricter Penalties
Legislation Passed to Tackle Unfair Practices in Public Exams
New Delhi: The Lok Sabha has approved the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which introduces tougher penalties for cheating.
This new legislation is designed to effectively discourage individuals, organized groups, and institutions from engaging in dishonest practices that undermine the integrity of public examinations.
Key Highlights of the Bill Amending the 2024 Law:
- State governments and Union Territory (UT) administrations are authorized to designate any sessions court as a special fast-track court for handling offenses under this law.
- Proceedings in these Special Fast Track Courts will be conducted on a daily basis, ensuring trials are concluded within three months from the charge sheet filing date.
- The central government is empowered to form special task forces to investigate offenses related to this legislation.
- Investigations for offenses must be completed within two months.
- State governments and UT administrations can appoint special public prosecutors to handle cases under this law.
- An appeal mechanism is established, allowing appeals against judgments to be heard by a bench of two High Court judges, with a resolution expected within three months of the appeal's admission.
- Individuals found guilty of involvement in paper leaks or other unfair practices will face imprisonment ranging from five to ten years, along with fines up to Rs 50 lakh.
- For organized crimes, the Bill stipulates a minimum sentence of seven years and fines reaching Rs 10 crore.
The 2024 law was enacted in response to significant controversies surrounding paper leaks. Prior to this, there was no specific law addressing unfair practices or offenses by entities conducting public examinations for the central government.
This legislation aims to safeguard the integrity of public examinations administered by various bodies, including the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC), railway recruitment exams, banking recruitment tests, and the National Testing Agency (NTA), among others.