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The Rajya Sabha passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 by voice vote, extending the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 (introduced Jan 2024, enacted Feb 2024, in force June 2024) — India's first comprehensive law of its kind against exam malpractice, covering UPSC, SSC, RRBs, IBPS and NTA-conducted exams.
Punishments were sharply enhanced: individual unfair-means offences from 3-5 years to 5-10 years imprisonment (fine ₹10 lakh → ₹50 lakh); service-provider fines from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore and debarment from 4 to 8 years; organised-crime offences from 5-10 years to 7-10 years imprisonment (fine ₹1 crore → ₹10 crore).
The Bill establishes Special Fast Track Courts (investigation within 2 months, trial within 3 months of chargesheet) — 6 already operational — plus Special Public Prosecutors and provision for Special Task Force/Central agency investigation; separately, 35 of 46 expert-committee recommendations (biometric/AI authentication, signal jammers, NTA restructuring) are already implemented.
Original comprehensive law covering question-paper leaks, answer-sheet/computer tampering, fake websites/admit cards, and organised exam-fraud rings
Roughly doubles most punishment terms and fines; adds Special Fast Track Courts, Special Public Prosecutors, and Special Task Force/Central agency investigation provisions
Portal connecting meritorious civil-services candidates with prospective private-sector employers; 335 private companies registered
Restructured as part of the 35-of-46 expert-committee recommendations already implemented
GS Paper 2 > Polity > Legislation on Governance
High — directly relevant to our exam-taking readership and a major current legislative development
Dedicated courts under the amended Act mandated to complete investigation within 2 months and trial within 3 months of chargesheet filing