President Droupadi Murmu signs anti‑paper‑leak amendment bill

President Droupadi Murmu gave assent on 1 August 2026 to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, after it cleared both houses of Parliament. The amendment mandates that each state set up fast‑track courts to try paper‑leak cases within three months and requires investigations to be completed within two months.

The law raises penalties: individuals convicted of leaking exam papers face a minimum of five years and up to ten years in prison, plus fines of up to Rs 50 lakh. For organised crime, the minimum term is seven years and fines can reach Rs 10 crore. The bill expands the 2024 Act to cover exams conducted by the UPSC, SSC, Railways, banking recruitment bodies and the National Testing Agency. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised the legislation amid widespread student protests over the NEET 2026 paper leak.