CJP Protest: Draft amendment to paper-leak law proposes 5-fold increase in fines, 10-year imprisonment
Enhanced minimum punishment of up to seven years, increased penalty ranging from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 10 crore, complete investigation by the Special Task Force in two months and fast track courts to hear cases of paper leaks – these are the changes an amendment to the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill 2026, proposes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier in the week announced that the government will amend the law as part of its actions against paper leaks. This follows weeks of youth protest, led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), over the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) paper leak which has finally led to education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.
The copy of the amendment bill, shared by independent journalist Arvind Gunasekar on X, is likely to be tabled in the parliament on Monday. In 2024, the parliament had passed the The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill which made leaking question papers or assisting candidates in this act, tampering with question papers or computers, violating security measures, conducting fake examinations a non-bailable offence.
Public examinations include all large-scale examinations held by the central government, including the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Even after the bill was passed, there were leaks in the 2024 NEET examination and that was followed by a major attempt at reform, especially at the exam body, National Testing Agency (NTA). On Friday, in the fallout of the protests, the NTA sacked 47 staff members.
Paper Leak Law: Minimum punishment, fines raised
The amendment increases the minimum punishment for individuals involved in leaking or unfair means to five years with the maximum at 10 years.
The financial penalty has also been enhanced to Rs 50 lakh from Rs 10 lakh earlier.
The 2024 Act states, “In case of the service provider involved in the leak, he /she shall be liable to be punished with imposition of a fine up to one crore rupees and proportionate cost of examination shall also be recovered from such service provider and he shall also be barred from being assigned with any responsibility for the conduct of any public examination for a period of four years.”
In the amendment bill, the fine has been increased to Rs 5 crore and the period of being barred to eight years.
As per 2024 Act, any director, senior management or the persons in-charge of the service provider firm found to be culpable will be liable for imprisonment for three to 10 years and a fine of Rs 1 crore.
The amendment changes “imprisonment for a term not less than 5 years but may extend to 10 years with a fine of Rs 5 crores”.
The 2024 Act stated, “If a person or a group of persons including the examination authority or service provider or any other institution commits an organised crime, he shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not less than five years but which may extend to ten years and with fine which shall not be less than one crore rupees.”
The amendment bill increases imprisonment to seven years now and the fine, to Rs 10 crore.
NEET Paper Leak: Fast-tracked investigation
The amendment bill proposes that a "Special Task Force” will be constituted by the government to investigate paper leaks. The amendment also states that the investigation has to be completed by the STF within two months of the leak being reported to the police.
Section 12 of the Act under the title inquiry and investigation only stated, “ An officer not below the rank of deputy superintendent of police or assistant commissioner of police shall investigate any offence under this Act. Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section, the Central Government shall have the powers to refer the investigation to any Central Investigating Agency.”
The amendment fixes timelines for the completion of the investigation.
CJP Protest Impact: Special fast-track courts
The amendment bill also has a section of fast track of trials.
It states, “For the purpose of providing a speedy trial on a day to day basis, every state government and union territory administration shall in consultation with the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court designate a court of session, to be a special fast track court to try offences under the act.”
For the leak of the NEET 2026, the government has also constituted a fast track court headed by Judge Anu Grover Baliga.
It also states that the trial should ideally be completed within three months from the date of filing of the chargesheet.
The amendment also stated that any other paper leak cases which are pending should be transferred to the fast track court following the implementation of the Act. In case of appeal, the case will have to be heard by a bench of two judges of the High Court and disposed of within three months of appeal.