As Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh prepares to table the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in Parliament on Monday, 27 July, Opposition MPs have mounted a sharp challenge — arguing that the absence of legislation was never the reason examination paper leaks occurred in India, and that the government has yet to hold anyone accountable for past cases.

Opposition's Core Argument

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Kumar Jha framed the issue as one of systemic rot rather than legislative gaps. 'Those responsible for monitoring them are turning a blind eye and promoting such activities,' he said, adding that corruption in one domain inevitably breeds it in another. He dismissed the Bill as 'merely headline management' unless deeper structural failures within the examination ecosystem are addressed.

Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Ram Gopal Yadav echoed that view, arguing that tougher laws have historically not eliminated crime. 'Even the harshest punishment cannot stop crimes. In cases of murder under Section 302, despite the punishment of life imprisonment or the death penalty, murders have never stopped,' he said, adding that paper leaks originate from those who set the paper, printing facilities, or influential coaching centres operating in nexus with insiders.

Congress Raises Accountability Deficit

Congress MP Imran Masood pointed to what he called a pattern of legislative action without enforcement. 'Your CBI has not yet filed the chargesheet, and the main accused mentioned has escaped. You do not want to take action; you only want to keep making statements. If you had taken action, there would have been some result,' Masood said.

Fellow Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain accused the government of using the Bill to deflect from questions about police action against student protestors. He noted that while the proposed legislation raises the imprisonment term from three months to six months and increases fines from ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore under certain provisions, it falls short of addressing the systemic education reforms students had demanded.

TMC Flags Unresolved Demands

All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy said the Opposition remained dissatisfied, stating that several of its demands had not been met by the government. Roy called for a formal apology from the Prime Minister and condemned the use of pellet guns against protestors — issues he said the Opposition would raise during the parliamentary session.

What the Bill Proposes

The amendment to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 — cleared by the Union Cabinet on Friday — introduces significantly harsher penalties. Key provisions include imprisonment of up to 10 years, fines of up to ₹10 crore, confiscation of assets of the convicted, and a mandate for fast-track courts to deliver verdicts within three months. The move follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement that a comprehensive Bill targeting paper leaks and examination fraud would be brought before Parliament.

The government has maintained that the proposed amendments are designed to enhance transparency, protect students' futures, and ensure swift justice — but whether the legislative push translates into prosecutorial action remains the Opposition's central question.