New Legal Amendments to Curb Paper Leaks

The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, is set to be placed before the Lok Sabha with proposals aimed at strengthening action against paper leaks and other malpractices in public examinations. According to the proposed amendments, the punishment for general examination-related offences would be increased from five years to a maximum of 10 years in prison, while fines could go up to ₹50 lakh. Organised groups involved in paper leaks could face penalties of up to ₹10 crore.

The proposed provisions also prescribe fines of up to ₹5 crore for examination service providers involved in violations, along with blacklisting for up to eight years for breaching the rules. Special fast-track courts are also proposed to ensure speedy disposal of cases, with an aim to secure judgments within three months after the filing of a charge sheet. The amendments are intended to strengthen the legal framework against organised examination fraud and protect the integrity of public examinations.