Lok Sabha passes bill to increase penalties for exam fraud

India's lower house of parliament has passed a bill to significantly strengthen penalties for paper leaks and cheating in public examinations, following a lengthy and contentious debate that extended over two days. The Public Examinations Prevention of Unfair Means Amendment Bill, 2026, was approved by the Lok Sabha on July 29, proposing stricter punishments, faster trials, and new investigative mechanisms to address organized examination fraud.

The legislation amends a 2024 law, substantially increasing the consequences for individuals, service providers, and organized groups involved in malpractices. For individuals, the minimum jail term will rise from three years to five years, with a maximum sentence of 10 years, up from the previous five-year cap. Fines for individuals will increase from a maximum of 10 lakh rupees to 50 lakh rupees. Service providers, such as firms conducting exams, could face fines of up to 5 crore rupees, up from 1 crore, and be barred from conducting public examinations for eight years instead of four.

For organized examination crimes, the bill proposes a minimum sentence of seven years, increased from five years, with the maximum remaining 10 years....