India proposes bill to increase exam fraud penalties

The Indian government introduced a stringent new bill in Parliament on Monday, July 27, 2026, proposing sweeping amendments to the country's laws against examination fraud. The Public Examinations Prevention of Unfair Means Amendment Bill, 2026, was tabled in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, seeking to overhaul the existing 2024 law with harsher punishments, expedited legal processes, and the creation of special courts.

The proposed legislation mandates the establishment of fast-track courts in every state and union territory to exclusively handle cases of paper leaks and other unfair practices in public examinations. It imposes strict statutory deadlines, requiring investigations to be completed within two months and trials to conclude within three months of a chargesheet being filed. The bill also empowers the central government to constitute special task forces to investigate major frauds.

Penalties are substantially increased under the new framework. Individuals found guilty of leaking question papers or using unfair means could face imprisonment from five to 10 years, up from the previous three to five years, and fines of up to 50 lakh rupees. For organized...