Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the passage of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 by both Houses of Parliament marks a major step towards ensuring a secure examination system, asserting that paper leak mafias and gangs involved in cheating would not be spared.
In a 2-minute-26-second video posted on Instagram at 10:40 pm, shortly after the Bill cleared Parliament, Modi said paper leaks have remained a persistent challenge for both state and central governments for decades, putting the future of students at risk.
“We are continuously taking one step after another for a secure examination system, whether through a task force, fast-track mechanisms or by incorporating suggestions from states. Every state and every central government has faced the problem of paper leaks. Keeping this in mind, reforms in the education system and extensive use of technology have become essential,” he said.
The Prime Minister said strict legal provisions were necessary to deal with those who manipulate examinations.
“Any paper mafia or gang playing with the future of the country’s children will not be spared. Parliament has now passed a law with stringent provisions after detailed discussions in both Houses,” he said.
Modi described the Bill’s passage as an important milestone towards an assured examination system and said the government would continue taking steps to eliminate examination-related irregularities.
The video received over 800,000 likes within 17 minutes of being uploaded.
4th video on exam reforms in 8 days
The Instagram message was Modi’s fourth video on the issue in the past eight days. Earlier, he announced the formation of a high-powered task force on examination reforms, headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani.
In another video message posted on X, the Prime Minister said paper leaks had caused distress to millions of students and their families. He said the government had arrested those responsible, conducted fresh examinations for 2.2 million students to prevent the loss of an academic year and directed the establishment of fast-track courts for speedy trials.
On Friday night, Modi posted another short video thanking people for their response to his earlier message and for sharing positive suggestions.
In another video posted on X, the Prime Minister described paper leaks as a serious issue affecting millions of students and their families.
Bill follows NEET paper leak controversy
The amendment bill follows the nationwide outrage over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak, which triggered prolonged student protests and demands for accountability.
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, introduced by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, strengthens the 2024 law by prescribing stricter punishments, higher fines and empowering states and Union Territories to establish special fast-track courts for paper leak cases, with day-to-day hearings aimed at ensuring speedy justice.
