Kashmir Impulse Desk

New Delhi, July 24

The Union Cabinet on Friday approved amendments to legislation governing examination paper leaks, proposing tougher penalties that could include up to 10 years in prison and a fine of as much as Rs 10 crore, the government said.

The proposed changes would raise the minimum prison term for those convicted of leaking examination papers from three years to five years, according to the announcement.

The move comes amid growing public concern over irregularities in competitive examinations and demands for stronger safeguards to protect the integrity of India’s testing system.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government would introduce the amendment bill in parliament soon, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had directed officials to move ahead without delay.

“We are preparing to present the Bill,” Rijiju said, referring to the proposed legislation concerning students and examinations.

The government has faced mounting pressure to strengthen measures against examination fraud as students and opposition parties have raised concerns over alleged irregularities in major national-level entrance examinations.

Rijiju also accused the opposition Congress party of disrupting parliamentary proceedings and warned that attempts to prevent debate on the proposed legislation would anger young people across the country.

The proposed amendments represent a significant tightening of penalties for paper leaks and are aimed at deterring organised examination malpractice, which has become a politically sensitive issue in India amid growing reliance on competitive examinations for university admissions and government jobs.

The bill will need to be introduced and passed by Parliament before the proposed penalties can take effect.