President clears anti-paper leak law; opposition decries rushed debate

President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to a new law that significantly raises punishments for unfair means in public examinations. The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Act, 2026, doubles the maximum jail term to ten years and increases the fine ceiling fivefold to fifty lakh rupees.

The bill's swift passage through Parliament on July 29 was contentious. Opposition parties repeatedly disrupted proceedings, protesting alleged police actions against students demonstrating over the NEET exam paper leak. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi dismissed the legislation as insufficient, stating the education system requires "surgery" rather than a "band-aid."

“

not even a band-aid

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien accused the government of pushing through "draconian bills" like the FCRA without adequate debate. He argued that a non-functioning Parliament leaves the government unaccountable. Union Minister Jitendra Singh countered, accusing the opposition of politicizing the issue and asserting the amendments were vital to strengthen the 2024 law.

The government maintained that repeated exam leaks necessitated stronger deterrents against organized cheating networks. Despite the new law taking effect, the opposition's core concern, that stricter penalties alone do not fix the fundamental issues in exam conduct, remains unaddressed due to the lack of thorough debate on the bill's provisions.

“

BJP playbook: Introduce draconian bills like FCRA. Then bulldoze in Parliament with no debate.