The Monsoon Session of Parliament witnessed Opposition-Government scenes on Monday as Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha.

The Bill aims to strengthen laws against examination paper leaks and organized cheating following the NEET-UG 2026 controversy.

During the discussions, the Opposition Congress demanded Home Minister Amit Shah’s reply to allegations of police excesses on July 20 during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) march to Parliament. Over 100 students were treated for injuries ranging from fractures to pellet wounds. CRPF personnel have confirmed seven rounds of pellets were fired and five rounds were fired at the students.

Congress leader Pawan Khera said such force should not have been used against the students and the Home Minister must reply to the allegations. Following disruptions, the House was adjourned several times.

The legislation seeks to impose stricter penalties for paper leaks, organized examination fraud, and other unfair practices. It also provides for faster investigations, time-bound trials, and the establishment of a STF to investigate major examination-related offenses. According to the government, the amendments are intended to improve transparency, protect the credibility of public examinations, and restore students’ confidence in the system.

The Congress and several Opposition parties demanded a detailed discussion in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, arguing that the government must be held accountable for both the examination irregularities and the police response.

The debate comes days after the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, following weeks of nationwide protests over paper leaks and examination malpractice. While the Centre has announced reforms and introduced the amendment Bill, Opposition leaders maintain that legislative changes alone are insufficient without fixing responsibility for the controversy and the police action against students.

The government defended its response, stating that it has initiated investigations into examination fraud, introduced stricter legal provisions, and taken steps to strengthen the security of public examinations. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju urged MPs to participate in the debate and allow the House to function smoothly instead of disrupting proceedings.

The Lok Sabha is set to take up the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 for consideration and passage on Monday as the Centre moves to tighten laws against paper leaks and examination-related fraud.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh will seek the House’s permission to introduce the Bill before moving it for consideration and passing during the day’s legislative business.

The proceedings of the Lok Sabha are scheduled to begin at 11 am with the Question Hour, during which ministers will respond to listed oral questions.

Bill proposes stricter action against paper leaks

The proposed amendment aims to strengthen transparency and integrity in the public examination system through stricter legal provisions while safeguarding the interests of students.

Among its major provisions are:

• Imprisonment of up to 10 years for those found guilty.
• A fine of up to Rs.10 crore.
• Confiscation of assets of convicted offenders.
• A mechanism to ensure verdicts in such cases are delivered within three months through fast-track courts.

The proposed changes follow the Union Cabinet’s approval of the legislation and related measures aimed at tackling paper leaks and examination fraud with stricter punishment and expedited trials.

Supreme Court judges amendment Bill also on agenda

Apart from the anti-paper leak legislation, the Lok Sabha is also scheduled to consider the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026.

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will move the Bill for consideration. It seeks to further amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.

Ministers to present implementation reports

Several Union ministers are also expected to place statements before the House on the implementation of recommendations made by various Parliamentary Standing Committees.

Among them:

• Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will present an update on recommendations related to the Ministry of Tourism.
• Jayant Chaudhary will report on recommendations concerning the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
• Pankaj Chaudhary will table a statement on recommendations relating to the Ministry of Finance.
• Suresh Gopi will present implementation updates on recommendations made by the Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Following the announcement of a high-powered task force to reform India’s examination system, the Centre has brought together experts from technology, space research, intelligence, education, cybersecurity and logistics to recommend structural changes for the National Testing Agency (NTA).

The panel, led by Infosys co-founder and technology expert Nandan Nilekani, was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi a day after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned amid nationwide protests over the alleged NEET paper leak.

In a video message shared on social media, the Prime Minister said the government aims to make examinations more reliable, transparent and technology-driven. He said the task force would submit recommendations to improve the credibility of upcoming examinations at the earliest.

Nandan Nilekani to lead the panel

Nandan Nilekani, co-founder and non-executive chairman of Infosys, will head the task force. Widely recognised for leading the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and playing a key role in the development of Aadhaar, Nilekani is expected to contribute his expertise in technology, digital infrastructure and data security to the examination reform process.

Former ISRO chief S Somanath

Former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman S Somanath, an aerospace engineer, is also part of the panel. During his tenure, ISRO successfully carried out the Chandrayaan-3 mission. His experience in executing complex, high-precision missions is expected to help strengthen quality control and multi-layered verification processes in examinations.

Former IB director Tapan Deka

Former Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Kumar Deka has been included for his experience in intelligence and security. A former IPS officer with a postgraduate degree in Physics, he is expected to provide inputs on strengthening intelligence gathering and cyber monitoring to curb organised examination fraud and paper leak networks.

IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti

V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, is another member of the panel. A computer science academic, he has led initiatives related to microprocessor development and information security at the institute. His expertise is expected to support measures aimed at enhancing cybersecurity and protecting examination software and digital infrastructure.

Former Education Secretary Anita Karwal

Former Education Secretary Anita Karwal brings administrative and academic policy experience to the task force. A retired IAS officer from the Gujarat cadre, she is expected to contribute recommendations on examination policies, answer-key mechanisms, evaluation standards and improvements in the functioning of examination centres.

Logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena

Retired bureaucrat Amrit Lal Meena, who previously served as Bihar’s Chief Secretary and as Special Secretary (Logistics) in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, completes the six-member panel. His expertise in supply chain management is expected to help strengthen the secure printing, storage and transportation of question papers through tamper-resistant logistics systems.

The multidisciplinary panel has been tasked with recommending structural reforms aimed at improving transparency, security and reliability in India’s examination system.