President Grants Assent To Amendment Enhancing Punishments For Unfair Means In Public Exams
The President of India has granted assent to an amendment act that significantly increases penalties for cheating in public examinations. The legislation follows nationwide protests and aims to deter organized exam malpractice through stricter prison terms and higher fines.
Why it matters
This legislation represents a major government effort to restore integrity to the national education system following high-profile scandals.
The President of India on Friday (July 31) granted assent to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Act, 2026, which was passed by the Parliament last week, introducing stricter penalties for examination malpractices, mandating time-bound investigations and trials, and providing for Special Fast Track Courts to deal with offences under the law.The Act amends the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which was enacted to curb the use of unfair means in public examinations and deter organised cheating networks.The 2026 Bill was introduced by the Union Government in the wake of the nationwide protests by the students against the exam paper leaks, which culminated in the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as the Union Education Minister on July 25.Among the key changes, the Bill increases the minimum punishment for persons resorting to unfair means from three years to five years' imprisonment, while the maximum sentence is enhanced…
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