#News || The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, introducing stricter punishment and faster trials to curb paper leaks and organised examination fraud. The Bill was passed despite opposition parties voting against it. Under the amended law, individuals found guilty of using unfair means in public examinations can face 5 to 10 years of imprisonment along with a fine of up to ₹50 lakh, making the penalties much tougher than before. The harshest punishment has been reserved for organised paper leak rackets. Those involved in large-scale examination fraud may face 7 to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to ₹10 crore. Service providers found facilitating malpractice can be fined up to ₹5 crore and barred from conducting public examinations for eight years. To ensure quicker justice, the Bill mandates that investigations be completed within two months. States and Union Territories will establish Special Fast Track Courts, which will conduct day-to-day hearings and aim to conclude trials within three months of the chargesheet being filed. The government said the legislation is aimed at protecting honest students and restoring trust in competitive examinations after repeated paper leak controversies. The Opposition, however, argued that stricter punishments alone cannot fix deeper issues in the examination system. The Bill will now be taken up in the Rajya Sabha. Once approved and signed by the President, the new law will come into force across the country. . . . . . #lakhimpurbuzz