By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
In a major move to crack down on question paper leaks and organised examination fraud, the centre on Monday introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha, proposing to increase the maximum punishment for those involved in unfair means in public examinations from five years to 10 years of imprisonment.
The Bill was introduced by Union Minister of State for PMO Dr. Jitendra Singh, who said the amendments aim to strengthen the existing legal framework in the wake of repeated incidents of paper leaks and organised cheating in recruitment examinations. The Bill seeks to provide fast-tracked investigation, speedy trial through Special Fast Track Courts, appointment of Special Public Prosecutors, time-bound disposal of appeals and more stringent penal provisions to effectively deter unfair means and organised malpractices in public examinations.
Under the proposed amendments, individuals found guilty of resorting to unfair means in public examinations will face imprisonment of not less than five years, extendable up to 10 years, compared to the existing provision of three to five years. The maximum fine has also been proposed to be increased fivefold from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh.
The Bill seeks to impose tougher penalties on service providers involved in examination fraud. The maximum fine for such agencies has been proposed to be enhanced from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore, while the period of debarment from conducting public examinations has been doubled from four years to eight years. Managerial personnel of these service providers could also face imprisonment ranging from five to 10 years along with fines of up to ₹5 crore.
To tackle organised examination-related crimes more effectively, the amendment proposes increasing the minimum imprisonment from five years to seven years, extendable up to 10 years, and raising the maximum fine from ₹1 crore to ₹10 crore.
The Bill also provides for the constitution of a Special Task Force to investigate offences under the Act. A new provision mandates completion of investigations within two months, followed by day-to-day trials in designated Special Fast Track Courts, which are expected to conclude proceedings within three months of filing the charge sheet. Appeals before High Courts are proposed to be disposed of, as far as possible, within three months.
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which came into force on June 21, 2024, covers examinations conducted by agencies such as the UPSC, SSC, Railway Recruitment Boards, IBPS, NTA and various Central Government departments. The government said the proposed amendments would help ensure swift justice, deter organised examination rackets and safeguard the interests of genuine and meritorious candidates while reinforcing public confidence in the country’s examination system.