Parliament passes Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026
On 30 July 2026 the Rajya Sabha passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 by voice vote, completing its passage through Parliament after the Lok Sabha.
Summary
The Rajya Sabha passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, as passed by the Lok Sabha, by voice vote; Dr Jitendra Singh replied to the debate. The Bill amends the 2024 Act – India's first dedicated law against exam cheating and paper leaks – to raise jail terms for individual offenders to 5–10 years with fines up to Rs 50 lakh, allow a Special Task Force, set a two-month deadline for investigation and require every State/UT to designate Special Fast Track Courts that must finish trials within 3 months of the chargesheet. The 2024 Act covers exams of UPSC, SSC, RRBs, IBPS and NTA.
Key facts
- Bill
- Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026
- Amends
- Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024
- Passage
- Lok Sabha, then Rajya Sabha by voice vote on 30 July 2026
- Individual offenders
- 5–10 years jail, fine up to Rs 50 lakh (earlier 3–5 years, Rs 10 lakh)
- Service providers
- Fine up to Rs 5 crore, 8-year ban (earlier Rs 1 crore, 4 years)
- Organised syndicates
- 7–10 years, fine at least Rs 10 crore
- Investigation
- Special Task Force option; to finish within 2 months
- Trial
- Special Fast Track Courts; within 3 months of chargesheet
- Covers
- UPSC, SSC, RRBs, IBPS, NTA exams
Practice MCQs 4 questions
On 30 July 2026 the Rajya Sabha passed an amendment to which law, completing its passage through Parliament?
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Correct answer: B — Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024
The Rajya Sabha passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, as passed by the Lok Sabha.
Under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, what is the jail term for individual offenders?
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Correct answer: D — 5 to 10 years
The Bill raises the jail term for individual offenders from 3–5 years to 5–10 years, with a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh.
Consider the following statements about the Public Examinations Amendment Bill, 2026: 1. Investigation of an exam fraud case must be completed within two months. 2. Special Fast Track Courts must complete the trial within 3 months of the chargesheet. 3. It was passed by the Rajya Sabha by division vote. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 and 2 only
The Bill sets a two-month deadline for investigation and a 3-month deadline for trial by Special Fast Track Courts; the Rajya Sabha passed it by voice vote, not a division.
Under the 2026 amendment, organised exam-fraud syndicates face a minimum fine of how much?
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Correct answer: C — Rs 10 crore
For organised crime (Section 11), the jail term becomes 7–10 years with a fine of at least Rs 10 crore (earlier at least Rs 1 crore).