New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday said it is willing to extend the discussion on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha to 10 hours, following demands from Opposition parties for more time to debate the proposed legislation.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju made the announcement as the Lok Sabha resumed proceedings at 2 p.m., stating that the government had no objection to a longer discussion on the Bill.
Government Agrees to Longer Debate
Speaking in the House, Rijiju said all political parties had initially agreed to a six-hour discussion, which was later extended to eight hours. He added that if the Opposition wanted additional time, the government was prepared to increase the debate to 10 hours.
Meanwhile, Congress MP K.C. Venugopal objected to the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the discussion, calling the proposed law an important piece of legislation and demanding a longer debate.
What the Anti-Paper Leak Bill Proposes
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday by Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh, seeks to strengthen the existing 2024 law against examination malpractice.
The proposed amendments include:
- Imprisonment of up to 10 years for those found guilty of paper leaks.
- A fine of up to ₹10 crore.
- Confiscation of assets of offenders.
- Establishment of fast-track courts to ensure judgments are delivered within three months.
Centre Aims to Curb Exam Fraud
The Bill follows the Union Cabinet’s approval of stricter legal measures to tackle paper leaks and examination fraud across the country. It also comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the government would introduce a stronger law to protect students and ensure transparency in public examinations.
The Lok Sabha is expected to continue its discussion on the Bill before it is taken up for consideration and passage.
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