Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 27 : Terming the Centre's anti-paper leak bill a "welcome step," Telangana BJP chief N. Ramchander Rao on Monday urged the opposition not to politicise the legislation, alleging that hundreds of examination papers were leaked during previous Congress governments.
Speaking to ANI, hitting out at previous administrations, Rao alleged that paper leakages were rampant during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and Congress regimes, affecting the careers of millions of students.
"The proposed bill in the examination system, which is now being brought before the Parliament, is a welcome step by the Government of India. We have seen a lot of leakages of papers during the UPA time and the Congress time; during the Congress government, hundreds of papers were leaked. This is a serious matter where you have to take some steps. So the government is coming up with a very stringent law, and it is a welcome step," N. Ramchander Rao said.
Urging political consensus on the crucial legislation, the Telangana BJP chief expressed hope that opposition parties would support the bill rather than exploiting it for political gains.
"I only hope that the opposition will not politicise it and try to defeat this bill," he added.
Rao also lauded the decision to constitute a high-level expert task force to reform examination protocols, noting that academic experts would bring valuable insights to the table.
"The formation of the task force is also a welcome step because all the experienced people on the academic side are now involved, and they will be suggesting key measures," he said.
Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP Ram Gopal Yadav on Monday said paper leaks cannot be prevented merely by enacting stricter laws, asserting that the root causes lie within the examination process and the increasing digitisation of the system, as the government prepares to introduce the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the Bill's introduction, Yadav claimed that examination paper leaks typically originate at critical stages such as drafting, printing or through networks linked to coaching centres."Paper leaks occur either where the paper is drafted, where it is printed, or at some other critical stage. Coaching centres with extensive reach often have inside arrangements--that is where the leaks originate. No matter how many laws you enact. All these irregularities began once the process went digital; such things didn't happen before the digital era. It cannot yield any benefit. Leaking or hacking is very easy," Yadav said.
The Amendment Bill is scheduled to be introduced by Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh. It seeks to strengthen the legal framework against paper leaks and other unfair practices in public examinations amid nationwide concerns over irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examination.
The Bill is expected to witness an extensive discussion in the Lok Sabha, with BJP MPs Bansuri Swaraj and Tejasvi Surya slated to participate in the debate. Other members expected to speak include Sharmila Sarkar and Mitali Bagh of the Trinamool Congress, Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu of the Telugu Desam Party, Shiv Sena MP Dr Shrikant Shinde, NCP MP Sunil Tatkare, Apna Dal leader Anupriya Patel and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MP Arun Bharti.
The legislation comes as Parliament enters the second week of the Monsoon Session amid heightened political tensions over the NEET-UG paper leak and the July 20 student protests in Delhi.
The Opposition has moved adjournment motions in the Lok Sabha and suspension of business notices in the Rajya Sabha, seeking an urgent discussion on the alleged police action against students during the 'Sansad Chalo' march.
The developments also follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of a high-powered task force on examination reforms headed by technology expert Nandan Nilekani and the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan amid nationwide student protests over the examination controversy. (ANI