New Delhi: A bill that proposes to set up fast-track courts in every state for speedy trials of accused and enhance punishment in public examination question paper leak cases has received the assent of the president.
In a gazette notification issued on Friday, the law ministry said President Droupadi Murmu has given assent to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 after it was cleared by both Houses of Parliament earlier this week.
Now, investigations into paper leak cases are to be completed within two months.
According to the legislation, individuals involved in paper leaks or unfair means in exams will get jail terms for a minimum of five years and a maximum of 10 years, and a fine of up to ₹50 lakhs.
For organised crimes, the amended law proposes a minimum sentence of seven years and a fine of up to ₹10 crores.
The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday after a marathon discussion that saw the House function until 11 p.m. on Tuesday and continued into the next day.The legislation aims at deterring people, organised groups and institutions from indulging in unfair means, thereby committing offences, adversely impacting the sanctity of public examinations.
The Bill proposes changes to the 2024 law that was brought when the government was faced with raging paper leak controversies. Before this legislation, there was no specific substantive law to deal with unfair means adopted or offences committed by various entities involved in the conduct of public examinations by the central government and its agencies.
The law aims to prevent unfair means in the public examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), the railways, banking recruitment examinations and the National Testing Agency (NTA) among others.