The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 is a legislative proposal introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 27, 2026, seeking to amend the existing Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. The original Act of 2024, which came into force on June 21, 2024, was created to establish a national legal framework to curb paper leaks, cheating, and organized malpractices in public examinations conducted by bodies like the UPSC, SSC, and NTA. The 2026 Bill was introduced following intense student-led agitation and recurring paper leak controversies, aiming to strengthen the existing law.
The Bill works by significantly enhancing penalties and establishing a mechanism for speedy trials. For individuals involved in unfair means, the proposed amendment increases the minimum imprisonment term from three years to five years, extendable up to ten years, and raises the maximum fine from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh. For organized offences, the minimum imprisonment is increased from five years to seven years, and the maximum fine is enhanced from ₹1 crore to ₹10 crore. The Bill also increases the debarment period for service providers involved in malpractices from four years to eight years and raises their maximum fine from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore.
A key mechanism introduced is the requirement for every State and Union Territory to designate a Court of Session as a Special Fast Track Court to try offences under the Act. The Bill mandates that the investigation of an offence must be completed within two months and that the trial must be completed within three months from the date of transfer for pending cases. Furthermore, the Central Government is empowered to constitute a Special Task Force to investigate offences. The Bill connects to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, as the Special Fast Track Courts will also try connected offences under this or other laws in the same trial. Appeals against the judgments of these courts will lie before a bench of two Judges of the High Court.