Rajya Sabha to Take Up Public Examinations Amendment Bill 2026 Today

New Delhi, July 30, 2026 Strengthening the integrity of India's public examination system remains a key priority as the Rajya Sabha is set to consider the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 on Thursday. The proposed legislation aims to tighten legal measures against examination malpractices, particularly in response to the growing concern over question paper leaks and organised cheating networks. The Bill seeks to reinforce accountability while ensuring greater transparency and credibility in public examinations. Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan informed the House that, under Rule 123 of the Rules of Procedure, an exemption has been granted to allow the Rajya Sabha to take up the Bill, which has already been passed by the Lok Sabha, for discussion and approval. A supplementary list of business has also been issued, and amendment proposals received until Thursday afternoon have been accepted. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, will introduce the amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha. The proposed amendments include provisions for speedy investigations, fast-track trials through special courts, time-bound disposal of appeals, and stricter penalties for offenders. The Bill proposes increasing the punishment for those involved in unfair practices to a minimum of five years' imprisonment, extendable up to ten years. It also seeks to raise the maximum fine from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh, reflecting the government's intent to deal more firmly with examination-related offences. The Chairman further stated that the copy of the Bill passed by the Lok Sabha had been made available electronically to Rajya Sabha members through the members' portal at around 3:30 PM on Tuesday. Considering the limited time available for members to study the Bill and prepare amendments, a special arrangement allowed members to submit amendment proposals until Thursday afternoon. This timeline was fixed to enable the Secretariat to examine the proposals, prepare the list of amendments, and circulate it among members in time, paving the way for the parliamentary process on the Bill to move forward.