New Delhi [India], July 31 : Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday hailed the passage of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Parliament, stating that the legislation received support from a majority of the members.
Speaking on the passage of the bill, which aims to curb the menace of exam paper leaks, Rijiju noted that while the House was largely in agreement on the necessity of the measure, any opposition encountered was driven by political agendas rather than the merit of the bill.
"The bill addressing exam paper leaks has been passed with the support of the majority of MPs; while there was no real opposition to the measure itself, any dissent that did occur was politically motivated. Everyone is serious about education, and particularly so regarding the issue of exam paper leaks," the Minister told reporters.
Emphasising the government's commitment to the youth, Rijiju stated that the focus has now shifted toward the immediate execution of the law to protect the interests of the student community.
"Now, the priority is to implement it as soon as possible to safeguard the students' future, and there are several other important bills listed - including one for today," he said.
The Minister also addressed the frequent disruptions in the House, appealing to the opposition parties to allow the Parliament to function effectively. He stressed that while the government respects the opposition's right to raise concerns, it should not come at the cost of legislative business.
"I appeal to the opposition parties: while they are free to raise their issues, it would be beneficial for them - and for everyone else - not to disrupt the passing of bills, Question Hour, or other important parliamentary business," Rijiju added.
Concluding his remarks, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister expressed hope for a more cooperative atmosphere in the coming sessions. "We hope everyone cooperates to ensure the smooth functioning of Parliament," he said.
On July 30, the Monsoon Session of Parliament witnessed significant legislative business as the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, was passed in the Rajya Sabha.
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which was passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, was cleared by the Rajya Sabha today, with Opposition members staging a walkout during the voting.
The legislation triggered a sharp political divide, with Opposition parties accusing the Centre of rushing the amendments and failing to address the root causes of recurring examination paper leaks. They alleged that the Bill was brought to defuse widespread student protests rather than introduce systemic reforms to prevent future irregularities.
The Centre, however, defended the amendments, saying they reflected the government's willingness to "learn from experience" following the implementation of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, and were aimed at further strengthening the legal framework to curb examination malpractices.