Public Examinations Amendment Bill 2026 Introduced in Lok Sabha

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Key takeaways

The Union Government introduced The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in Lok Sabha to overhaul the 2024 Act.
Individual offenders now face imprisonment between 5 to 10 years and fines up to ₹50 lakh, while organized paper-leak syndicates face a minimum fine of ₹10 crore.
Investigations by the proposed Special Task Force (STF) must wrap up within 2 months, and court trials in Special Fast Track Courts within 3 months.
Guilty examination service providers face fines up to ₹5 crore, full recovery of examination costs, and an extended debarment period of 8 years.

The Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions introduced The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha.

This central legislation amends the existing Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 to reform competitive examination security.
The Bill aims to prevent paper leaks and malpractices committed by candidates, organized paper-leak syndicates, test agencies, and coaching institutes.

The Central Government can create a specialized Special Task Force (STF) to investigate paper leak cases within 2 months.
State governments and Union Territory administrations must set up Special Fast Track Courts at the Session Court level to conduct daily trials.
The Bill mandates that trials must be completed within 3 months from the filing of the chargesheet.
High Courts must decide appeals within 3 months of admission, while appeals must be filed within 30 days or a maximum of 90 days.
The debarment duration for convicted examination service providers has been increased from 4 years to 8 years.

Punishment for individuals using unfair means has been increased from 3 to 5 years to 5 to 10 years in prison, and fines from ₹10 lakh up to ₹50 lakh.
Fines for service providers engaged in malpractice have risen from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore, along with full recovery of examination costs.
Guilty exam management officials now face a minimum of 5 years imprisonment and a fine of ₹5 crore.
Organized examination crime syndicates face a minimum prison sentence of 7 years and a minimum fine of ₹10 crore.
The debarment period for guilty test-conducting agencies is extended from 4 years to 8 years.
The Bill introduces a dedicated Special Task Force (STF) with a mandatory 2-month investigation deadline instead of relying on general agencies.
The law establishes mandatory Special Fast Track Courts with a strict 3-month trial deadline to avoid delayed judicial proceedings.