Overview
- President Droupadi Murmu gave assent to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Act, 2026 on Friday, bringing the tougher rules into force.
- The law raises prison terms for individuals caught in paper leaks to a minimum of five years and up to ten years with fines as high as ₹50 lakh and prescribes stiffer mandatory penalties for organised offences.
- Investigations must ordinarily finish within two months and Special Fast Track Courts are required to complete trials within three months of a chargesheet being filed.
- High Courts and states have begun implementing the law, with the Calcutta High Court designating five fast‑track courts for NEET cases and Maharashtra identifying 203 pending exam‑malpractice cases for special courts.
- The amendments create powers for a central Special Task Force and referral to central investigating agencies while critics say the Bill was rushed through Parliament and urge technical and administrative reforms to exam design rather than relying only on harsher punishment.