The Public Examinations Amendment Bill 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday, July 27, 2026, as part of the government’s effort to strengthen measures against paper leaks in competitive and public examinations, according to The Hindu. Minister of State for the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Jitendra Singh, moved the Bill in the House.
The legislation seeks to amend the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, a two-year-old law aimed at curbing unfair practices in public examinations. According to The Hindu, the Bill was introduced following more than a month of student protests over the NEET-UG paper leak and related issues.
Among its key provisions, the Bill proposes the establishment of fast-track courts in every state for the speedy trial of individuals accused of examination-related offences. It also seeks to enhance the punishment prescribed under the existing law, The Hindu reported, though further specific details of the amended penalties were not immediately available in the report.
The Bill’s introduction follows a series of related developments reported by The Hindu in recent weeks concerning India’s examination system. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned amid the fallout from the NEET-UG paper leak protests, a development that was followed by the student movement, referred to as CJP, calling off its stir. Prime Minister Narendra Modi subsequently announced the formation of a high-powered task force on examination reforms, to be led by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, according to The Hindu.
The Supreme Court has also been examining issues connected to the broader protest movement. According to The Hindu, the court is set to seek inputs from the Nilekani-led task force regarding the possible introduction of an online NEET examination format. Separately, the Supreme Court has stated that the right to peaceful protest is constitutionally protected, and it is considering framing guidelines after examining allegations of a crackdown on protesters in Delhi, with a related hearing on alleged police excesses fixed for July 28, The Hindu reported.
The Hindu has also published a separate explainer detailing what the proposed anti-cheating law promises, indicating continued public and media interest in the specific mechanisms the Bill introduces, including the scope of the fast-track courts and the categories of offences they would cover. While that explainer addresses the Bill’s provisions in greater depth, the core legislative details confirmed at the time of introduction remain limited to the establishment of state-level fast-track courts and enhanced punishment, as stated by The Hindu.
The introduction of the Bill comes amid heightened scrutiny of India’s public examination system following the NEET-UG paper leak controversy, which had triggered sustained student protests. The government has separately announced the formation of a task force on examination reforms to be led by Nandan Nilekani, as reported in related coverage. More on that development can be found in Nilekani to Lead High-Powered Task Force on Exam Reforms.
No further details regarding the specific timeline for the Bill’s passage through Parliament, or the exact nature of the enhanced penalties it proposes, were available in the source report. The Hindu did not specify whether the Bill would be referred to a parliamentary standing committee before further debate.
The Department of Personnel and Training, under which Jitendra Singh serves as Minister of State, oversees matters related to public examinations and recruitment processes at the central government level. Further information on the department’s mandate is available through the Department of Personnel and Training’s official website.
The move follows broader developments in India’s examination reform debate, including student-led protests and subsequent political developments linked to the NEET-UG issue. No statement from opposition parties on the specific provisions of the Public Examinations Amendment Bill 2026 was included in the available reporting.
Further updates on the Bill’s progress through the Lok Sabha, including any debate, amendments or voting outcomes, are expected as the monsoon session of Parliament continues, according to available reporting.
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