The NEET question paper leak has recently put the Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under intense pressure, triggering protests and drawing support from opposition parties and student groups across the country. The controversy also led to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
In response, the Centre has passed the Public Examinations (Amendment) Bill, 2026 to prevent paper leaks and other irregularities in nationwide public examinations. The law provides for punishment of those involved in exam fraud, including imprisonment of up to 10 years and fines that can go up to Rs 10 crore.
The amendment also includes provisions to set up fast-track courts to ensure time-bound punishment for those responsible for malpractice. Alongside this, the government has formed an expert committee headed by Nandan Nilekani to draw up action plans for conducting public examinations more effectively, linked to creating a unique identification number for people nationwide.
The article notes that organising public examinations at a national scale involves long-term planning and multiple challenges, including secure transport of question papers and preventing malpractice at exam centres. It also cites claims that more than 89 paper leak incidents have occurred over the past 10 years.
A committee led by former ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan was earlier set up in 2024 to suggest changes to the National Testing Agency, offering over 100 recommendations, of which only some were implemented. While some recommendations are said to have been included in the new amendment, critics argue the steps are largely a short-term fix and that the Nilekani panel lacks broader education reform experts. Even so, the tougher law is presented as a necessary move to deter future wrongdoing and ensure accountability through courts.
