Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday, 25 July launched a sharp attack on the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress, accusing both parties of having nurtured the 'paper leak mafia' for years, while asserting that the Modi government has moved decisively to protect the futures of students and young aspirants. Speaking at a public event at Madaripur Kala Ground in Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh, the Chief Minister said stringent new legal provisions — including a minimum 10-year prison sentence and a fine of up to ₹10 crore — are being introduced to crush examination-related crimes.

Key Announcements on Exam Malpractice

Referring to the government's proposed amendments to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, CM Yogi said the Centre plans to introduce tougher legal provisions in Parliament. He confirmed that those found guilty of paper leaks or exam fraud will face not just imprisonment but also the confiscation of illegally acquired assets.

'Prime Minister Modi had announced, and the Union Cabinet decided yesterday, that those involved in cheating and exam malpractice — the paper leak mafia — will face a minimum punishment of 10 years and a fine of up to ₹10 crore for harming students' futures,' Yogi said at the event.

Attack on SP and Congress

CM Yogi alleged that between 2012 and 2017 — when SP-led governments were in power in Uttar Pradesh — most recruitment drives were mired in controversy and deserving candidates were systematically denied employment. He charged that the exam mafia was a 'legacy' of both Congress and SP, claiming both parties had 'nurtured and protected' these networks.

'Those who exploited the youth, pushed students towards an uncertain future, and played with the future of an entire generation — today, the Samajwadi Party and Congress are shedding crocodile tears,' he said, adding that the Opposition's current concern for students rang hollow given their track record.

NEET Case and NTA Action

The Chief Minister stated that action has already been initiated against those accused in the NEET paper leak case, and that the government has also intervened in matters related to the National Testing Agency (NTA). He noted that despite the controversy, the NEET examination was conducted within a fixed timeline and results were declared on schedule, so that students would not lose an academic year.

Development Projects in Fatehpur

The Fatehpur event also saw CM Yogi inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for 125 development projects worth more than ₹489 crore. He credited the New Education Policy with giving India's youth a stronger global identity, and claimed his government has provided more than 9 lakh government jobs over the past nine years through a transparent recruitment process.

Law and Order in Uttar Pradesh

On the state's law-and-order situation, Yogi reiterated that there is no longer any space for mafias or criminals in Uttar Pradesh. He said such individuals now face only 'two destinations — jail or hell,' and claimed firm action has been taken against land mafias and illegal encroachments on government property. He also highlighted that 12 lakh government jobs had been provided to India's youth in a single year under the current dispensation.

With Parliament set to take up the strengthened examination law, the coming weeks will test whether the proposed legal framework translates into enforceable deterrence against a paper leak ecosystem that has persisted across multiple governments.