Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 28: The deadlock between the government and the Opposition over the anti-paper leak legislation has ended following the intervention of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, with all political parties agreeing to hold a discussion on the proposed law in the Lower House on Tuesday, sources said.
The Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, days after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) called off its protest over the NEET paper leak following assurances from the government.
Soon after the Bill was tabled, Opposition members raised slogans in the House and demanded an apology from the government over the police action against CJP protesters during last week's demonstrations.
With both sides refusing to relent, Speaker Om Birla held consultations with representatives of the government and the Opposition, urging them to participate in a meaningful discussion on an issue affecting millions of students and the transparency of competitive examinations.
Birla later met floor leaders of various political parties, after which the impasse was resolved.
According to sources, all political parties agreed to begin discussions on the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday following the Speaker's initiative and sustained dialogue.
The proposed legislation seeks to amend the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
Among its key provisions is the establishment of fast-track courts in every state to hear paper leak cases and a mandate to complete investigations within two months.
The Bill also proposes stricter penalties, including imprisonment of up to 10 years and fines of up to Rs 50 lakh for those involved in paper leaks. Organised paper leak rackets could face penalties of up to Rs 10 crore.
The Union Cabinet approved the Bill last week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured stringent action against those responsible for examination paper leaks.
In a video message released last week, Modi said the government understood the hardship caused by paper leaks and remained committed to ensuring strict action against those involved.
Referring to the NEET paper leak, the Prime Minister said the government's immediate priority was to ensure that students did not lose an academic year.
"Our most significant responsibility was to ensure that the students do not lose a year. It was necessary to hold the examination immediately. By using all resources, the government has ensured that 22 lakh students could attend the retest," he said.