Paper Leak Bill debate today: Rahul Gandhi expected to speak in Lok Sabha at 12.30 pm

The political battle over India's examination system is set to continue in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi expected to speak during the debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026.

The discussion began a day earlier with the government defending stricter punishment for examination fraud, while Opposition parties questioned whether a tougher law alone can address repeated paper leak controversies and concerns raised by students.

The Bill seeks to strengthen the existing legal framework against unfair practices in public examinations by introducing harsher penalties, including longer prison terms, higher fines and faster trials.

Rahul Gandhi's speech likely to shape Opposition attack

The debate is expected to gain further political attention with Rahul Gandhi's intervention.

Opposition parties have argued that the examination crisis is not limited to criminal action against those involved in leaks but also involves questions of accountability, transparency and the impact on students preparing for competitive examinations.

During the earlier discussion, Congress MPs raised concerns over alleged failures in preventing paper leaks and highlighted protests by students following examination controversies.

What does the Paper Leak Bill propose?

Introduced by Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh, the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 proposes stricter action against those involved in examination fraud.

The proposed changes include:

• Imprisonment of up to 10 years for serious offences.
• Fines of up to Rs 10 crore.
• Confiscation of assets linked to illegal activities.
• Fast-track courts required to deliver judgments within three months.

The government has argued that stronger punishment is needed to dismantle organised networks involved in leaking question papers and compromising examination systems.

Government allies demand wider exam reforms

While supporting the Bill, NDA allies said legal punishment must be accompanied by broader reforms in the examination system.

Telugu Desam Party MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu suggested conducting the NEET-UG examination multiple times a year so students do not lose an academic year due to unavoidable circumstances.

He also called for creating a national question bank and regulating coaching centres, arguing that the examination ecosystem needs wider changes.

Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde also supported multiple examination attempts and raised concerns about pressure on students and the high costs associated with coaching institutions.

Opposition questions whether stricter law is enough

Opposition leaders argued that the proposed legislation does not fully address the reasons behind repeated examination controversies.

Congress MP K.C. Venugopal described the issue as a major concern for young people and questioned whether the government had done enough to ensure accountability.

Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda supported student protesters and said peaceful demonstrations reflected democratic participation.

Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav raised allegations of excessive police action against students during protests, while Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule demanded an investigation into the allegations and called for a broader discussion involving all political parties.

BJP says exam reforms require system-wide changes

The BJP defended the government's approach, arguing that examination challenges need to be addressed beyond individual incidents.

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya said examination-related issues reflected wider systemic concerns and pointed towards reforms under the National Education Policy 2020.

He also argued that state governments should be held responsible for irregularities in examinations conducted under their jurisdiction.

BJP MP Anurag Thakur accused Opposition parties of criticising the Centre while ignoring examination-related controversies in states governed by them.

Why the debate matters for students

The debate comes at a time when examination integrity has become a major concern among students preparing for entrance tests and government recruitment examinations.

A paper leak can force cancellation of exams, delay career plans and create uncertainty for thousands of candidates who spend years preparing.

While the government says stronger penalties will discourage malpractice, Opposition parties argue that prevention mechanisms and accountability measures are equally important.

The Lok Sabha debate will continue on Wednesday, with Rahul Gandhi's expected speech likely to become a key political moment.

With IANS inputs