New Delhi, Jul 28 (INB) The Centre has introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha, proposing stricter punishment, time-bound investigation and trial, and special fast-track courts to deal with paper leaks and organised examination malpractices, according to an official statement.
Introducing the Bill, Minister of State Jitendra Singh said the proposed amendments seek to strengthen the provisions of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 in view of recent incidents of question paper leaks and organised irregularities in public examinations.
The Bill proposes increasing the punishment for individuals involved in unfair means from the existing minimum of three years’ imprisonment, extendable to five years, to a minimum of five years, extendable to 10 years. It also seeks to raise the maximum fine from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, according to the statement issued by PIB.
For service providers found guilty under the Act, the Bill proposes increasing the maximum penalty from Rs 1 crore to Rs 5 crore and extending the debarment period from conducting public examinations from four years to eight years.
The proposed legislation also provides for imprisonment of five to 10 years and fines of up to Rs 5 crore for managerial personnel of service providers found involved in examination-related offences.
In cases involving organised exam-related crimes, the Bill proposes enhancing the minimum imprisonment from five years to seven years, extendable to 10 years, while increasing the maximum fine from Rs 1 crore to Rs 10 crore, it stated.
The amendments also empower the Centre to entrust investigation of offences under the Act to a Special Task Force constituted for the purpose.
To ensure speedy disposal of cases, the Bill proposes insertion of a new provision mandating completion of investigation within two months, designation of Sessions Courts as Special Fast
Track Courts for day-to-day hearings, completion of trial within three months of filing of the chargesheet, and appointment of Special Public Prosecutors.
Another proposed provision seeks to allow appeals against judgments of the Special Fast Track Courts before the High Courts within 30 days, with efforts to dispose of such appeals within three months.
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which came into force on June 21, 2024, covers recruitment examinations conducted by agencies including the UPSC, SSC, RRB, IBPS, NTA and other notified authorities of the central government.
The Act classifies offences as cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable, according to the statement.
