Welcoming the passage of the anti-paper leak bill by the Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday vowed to make India's exam system more robust, while reiterating his government is committed in taking stringent actions against paper leak gangs in the country.
In yet another video on his social media accounts, the prime minister said the passage of the anti-paper leak bill is a historic moment for India. He said more steps would be taken in further strengthening the examination system, saying the entire country needs to move ahead together to realise the dream of 'Viksit Bharat'.
For decades, successive state and central governments have continued to deal with paper leak incident, which is why it had become necessary to bring examination reforms, he pointed out.
"We need stringent laws to deal with this. We introduced a bill in Parliament, and as I had promised you, both Houses of Parliament, with the participation of a vast number of MPs, have held detailed discussions on it," the prime minister said in his 2.26 minutes video.
"Today, both Houses have passed this bill containing provisions for strict laws. A significant step has now been taken towards achieving a reliable examination system. This work will continue. We will not allow such a situation to persist for long. With this conviction, friends, let us move forward shoulder to shoulder to realize the dream of a 'Viksit Bharat'," he added.
The Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, was cleared in the Rajya Sabha with a voice vote, despite several opposition parties stagging a walkout. The bill had been passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, and will now be sent to President Droupadi Murmu for assent.
The bill was first promised by PM Modi last week following days of protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in Delhi, seeking Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as Union Education Minister over irregularities in NEET (UG) examination.
The amendment bill states that individuals involved in paper leaks or unfair means in exams will get jail terms for a minimum of five years and a maximum of 10 years, and a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh. For organised crimes, the Bill proposes a minimum sentence of seven years and a fine not less than Rs 10 crore.
However, the opposition has criticised the bill and called it an eyewash. It has also demanded apology from PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the police action against the protesters at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
However, BJP MPs have responded to the allegations, saying the ruling alliance is sensitive to the issues raised by students and will continue taking actions in resolving them.
ALSO READ:
'Can't hide behind closed doors': Kharge lambasts PM Modi, Amit Shah over July 20 incident in Delhi
