Parliament Clears Both Houses on Anti Paper Leak Bill — PM Modi Calls It a Step Toward a More “Robust” Exam System

After weeks of student protests at Jantar Mantar and the resignation of the Union Education Minister, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have both passed a toughened Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 — now awaiting only the President’s assent to become law.

For an honest student, the fear was never the exam itself. It was the possibility that the outcome had already been decided — by someone else, weeks before the question paper was even opened. That fear drove thousands of students onto the streets around Jantar Mantar in July, and by the end of the month, it had reshaped the country’s exam-security law.

On July 29, the Lok Sabha passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, after roughly ten hours of debate. The very next day, July 30, the Rajya Sabha passed it as well, by voice vote, amid an Opposition walkout over unrelated procedural objections. The Anti Paper Leak Bill now goes to President Droupadi Murmu for assent — the final formality before it becomes law.

Why This Anti Paper Leak Bill Exists

India runs one of the largest examination systems on earth. Every year, tens of millions of students sit for NEET, JEE, CUET, UPSC, SSC, railway recruitment, banking, and dozens of state-level competitive exams. Behind each of those exams sits years of preparation, family expectation, and — for many households — the single clearest route to upward mobility.

That system was tested badly by the 2026 NEET-UG paper leak, which the CBI has already chargesheeted 13 people over. It was not an isolated case: since the original 2024 Public Examinations Act came into force, 52 FIRs have been registered nationally under it.

Public anger reached a peak in late July. On July 20, thousands of students marched toward Parliament from Jantar Mantar; several were injured in the resulting police action. Five days later, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned. The amendment Anti Paper Leak Bill was introduced on July 27 and passed both houses within three days.

What Actually Changes

Tougher, faster punishment

Individual offenders now face five to ten years in prison, with fines up to ₹50 lakh — five times the previous ceiling. Where an offence is traced to an organised syndicate rather than an individual, the minimum sentence rises to seven years, with fines that can reach ₹10 crore.

A dedicated task force and a hard investigation deadline

A new Special Task Force will be constituted specifically to investigate paper-leak offences. Whichever agency handles a case — state police, a central agency, or the new task force — the investigation must now be completed within two months, a sharp departure from cases that have historically dragged on for years.

Fast-track courts

Every state and Union Territory will be required to designate fast-track courts for these cases. Pending matters under the 2024 Act will be transferred into this system and must be resolved within three months.

Private exam-conduct companies face real exposure

Service providers found complicit now face fines up to ₹5 crore — five times the earlier ₹1 crore ceiling — and an eight-year debarment from conducting government exams, up from four. For the first time, directors and senior management of such companies can personally face five to ten years in prison.

Fifteen offences, clearly defined

The amendment lists fifteen distinct acts as criminal offences — from leaking question papers and tampering with OMR sheets to operating fake exam websites and issuing counterfeit admit cards — closing gaps that earlier allowed some conduct to fall outside the law’s reach.

“A tougher legal framework to break the paper-leak ecosystem and bring transparency to the exam process.”

— Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi, on the amendment’s intent

The Prime Minister’s Response

Hours after the Rajya Sabha vote, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a selfie-style video on X welcoming the Anti Paper Leak Bill’s passage. He thanked MPs across party lines for supporting the legislation, pointed to steps already under way — including the task force and fast-track courts — and described the moment as historic for India’s exam system. He tied the reform to the broader Viksit Bharat vision, calling on citizens to work together toward its goals.

Watch: News24Media’s full breakdown of the Anti Paper Leak Bill, the protests that preceded it, and what changes for India’s students.

What It Means for Students

Strip away the legal language, and the bill is really an attempt to restore one thing: trust. A student preparing for NEET or a banking exam wants to know that their competition is other students’ effort — not a leaked answer key circulating in a private group the night before.

Faster investigations, faster courts, and steeper penalties are the mechanism. Whether they deliver the outcome depends entirely on enforcement — a point even the Anti Paper Leak Bill’s supporters concede. Legal experts note that legislation alone cannot secure an exam system; it has to be paired with tamper-proof printing and distribution chains, stronger digital security for question papers, and AI-assisted monitoring for suspicious activity around exam centres and file transfers. Where officials are negligent, accountability has to follow — something the current Anti Paper Leak Bill does not fully address.

One Step Remains

The Anti Paper Leak Bill’s journey isn’t quite finished. With both houses of Parliament now behind it, the text goes to President Droupadi Murmu for assent — typically a formality, but the final step before India’s exam-security framework is legally strengthened. Once that happens, the real test begins: not on paper, but in exam halls across the country.