Lok Sabha clears anti-paper leak amendment Bill amid Opposition din
Lok Sabha approves stricter anti-paper leak amendment bill, imposing up to 10 years' jail and hefty fines amid Opposition protests.
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Jitendra Singh said the government acted swiftly in the NEET paper leak case, and as many as 52 FIRs have been lodged since the anti-paper leak law came into force in 2024.
Updated - July 29, 2026 05:25 pm IST - New Delhi
MoS Jitendra Singh speaks in the Lok Sabha during the Monsoon session of Parliament, in New Delhi on July 29, 2026. Photo: Sansad TV via PTI.
Lok Sabha on Wednesday (July 29, 2026) approved a Bill to amend the anti-paper leak law with stricter punishment of up to 10 years' jail and a ₹50 lakh fine, amid sloganeering by Opposition parties.
Parliament Monsoon Session Day 8 highlights
The Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, with stricter punishment, was introduced in the House by Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Monday (July 27, 2026), days after large-scale student protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) forced Dharmendra Pradhan to resign as the Education Minister.
Speaking in Lok Sabha, Mr. Singh said the government acted swiftly in the NEET paper leak case, and as many as 52 FIRs have been lodged since the anti-paper leak law came into force in 2024.
Mr. Singh said service provider fines in the previous anti-cheating law of 2024 have been hiked from up to ₹1 crore to up to ₹5 crore. Also, imprisonment of three to 10 years for directors and management in the previous law has been increased to up to ₹5 crore (from earlier ₹1 crore).
Imprisonment from five to 10 years (escalated from three to 10 years) and a fine of ₹5 crore (hiked from ₹1 crore) for in-charge Personnel under the proposed Bill, Mr. Singh added.
The amendment Bill indicates that the government is open to learning from experience, he said, noting that the rate of deaths related to paper leaks has also reduced over the last few years.
He criticised Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, stating that he lacks knowledge of parliamentary norms and the functioning of the government.
Immediately after the passage of the Bill, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day.
Published - July 29, 2026 05:10 pm IST
India / parliament / Parliament proceedings / Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha
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