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India Neet protests: Govt to introduce exam paper leak amendment bill in Parliament
Indian minister Jitendra Singh said the amendments ensure 'time-bound investigations, speedy trials, and enhanced deterrence against organised crime groups and institutions'
- PUBLISHED: Sun 26 Jul 2026, 3:59 PM
The Indian government will introduce an amendment bill in Parliament on Monday, raising the minimum jail term for individuals involved in unfair means including leaking question papers of public exams, hiking the fines and setting up fast-track courts to ensure speedy trials and completing them within three months of the chargesheet.
“For the purposes of providing a speedy trial on day-to-day basis, every state government and Union Territory administration shall, in consultation with the Chief Justice of the concerned high court, by notification, designate a court of session, to be a special fast track court to try offences under this Act,” says the bill. The new legislation aims to effectively deter “persons, organised groups and institutions from indulging in unfair means thereby committing offences, adversely impacting the sanctity of public examinations.”
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The bill is being introduced following a nationwide uproar over the Neet examination scam, which led to massive protests in Delhi and other state capitals, demanding the sacking of the education minister. Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday, following which Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) withdrew the agitation.
The protests, which lasted over a month, had emerged as a major challenge for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk had also launched a hunger strike earlier, protesting against the continuation of Pradhan as the minister. “Congratulations CJP, Gen Z of the nation, and thank you all citizens for shedding fear and the fear of fear, and rising up from every corner of the nation,” Wangchuk posted on X after the sacking of Pradhan.
On Saturday, Pralhad Joshi was appointed as India's new Education Minister.
The bill said that “in every trial of an offence under this act, the proceedings shall be continued on a day-to-day basis, until all the witnesses in attendance have been examined, unless the special fast track court, for reasons to be recorded in writing, finds that adjournment of the same beyond the following day is necessary: Provided that such trial shall be completed within a period of three months from the date of filing of the chargesheet.”
India's Union Minister Jitendra Singh said the objective “is to bring greater transparency, fairness, and credibility, and to inspire confidence in the public examination system. The amendments ensure time-bound investigations, speedy trials, and enhanced deterrence against organised crime groups and institutions.”
