Parliament Debates Anti-Paper Leak Bill: Tougher Penalties and a New Task Force

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday witnessed a heated debate over the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to crack down on paper leaks and cheating in central recruitment exams. The Bill proposes stiffer jail terms of up to 10 years, a fast-track trial process, and the creation of a task force led by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to reform exam systems. The debate came amid the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and ongoing protests by the Central Job Protection (CJP) group, which has alleged systemic failures in recent exams. Opposition members, led by Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, questioned the government’s approach, accusing it of outsourcing key responsibilities and failing to prevent leaks in high-profile tests such as NEET and UGC NET. The government defended the Bill as a necessary deterrent, with Home Minister Amit Shah emphasizing that the new law would restore trust in the examination system. The Bill also includes provisions for a national task force on exam reforms, which is expected to propose technology-driven solutions. While both sides agree that paper leaks are a serious problem, the debate highlighted deep disagreements on accountability and the root causes of cheating. The Bill is likely to be passed after further discussion in both Houses of Parliament.