The legislation is seen as a critical step towards safeguarding the credibility of educational assessments across the country
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill to amend the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, with provisions for jail terms of up to 10 years and a penalty of up to ₹10 crore for individuals or entities found guilty in paper-leak cases.The present law prescribes a jail term of three-five years and a fine of up to ₹10 lakh for any person or persons who resort to unfair means or commit offences in public examinations.Now, the bill proposes a minimum jail term of five years and a maximum of 10 years, with a fine of up to ₹50 lakh. Similarly, the service provider, if found guilty, will be liable to a fine of up to ₹5 crore, as against ₹1 crore at present. Also, the service provider will be debarred from conducting examinations for eight years, as against the present provision of four years.Liable for imprisonmentAnother provision in the new bill prescribed that where it is established during the investigation that an offence under this Act has been committed with the consent or connivance of any director, senior management or the persons in charge of the service provider firm, he shall be liable for imprisonment for a term not less than five years, as against the present provision of three years. The jail term may be extended to 10 years. Also, it is proposed to increase the fine to ₹5 crore from ₹1 crore. In the event of default in payment of the fine, an additional punishment of imprisonment shall be imposed as per the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.The bill proposes that if a person or a group of persons, including the examination authority, service provider or any other institution commits an organised crime, he shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not less than seven years, as against the present provision of five years. The fine will be ₹10 crore, up from ₹1 crore. Here too, in the event of default in payment of the fine, an additional punishment of imprisonment shall be imposed as per the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.The bill proposes to empower all State governments and Union Territory Administrations to designate any court of session as a special fast track court to try offences under the said Act. The proceedings in such special fast track courts must be held on a day-to-day basis, and the trial shall be completed within three months from the date of filing of the charge sheet. The Centre will be empowered to constitute a special task force to investigate any offence, if necessary.The bill proposes that the investigations be completed within two months. One or more special public prosecutors for the conduct of cases can be appointed. The bill also provides for an appeal mechanism against any judgement, sentence or order to a bench of two Judges of the High Court, for its disposal within a period of three months from the date of admission of appeal.Published on July 29, 2026
