Former Union Minister backs Public Examinations Amendment Bill 2026, says stricter law will restore students’ faith; attacks Congress over paper leaks and Himachal’s education system.
New Delhi, July 27: Former Union Minister and BJP MP Anurag Singh Thakur on Monday strongly backed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha, describing organised paper leaks and examination fraud as threats comparable to terrorism and Naxalism. He said the Narendra Modi-led government was determined to dismantle the “exam mafia” through tougher laws and stricter enforcement.
Participating in the debate during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Thakur said the amendment strengthens the 2024 anti-cheating law by introducing harsher penalties, time-bound investigations and faster delivery of justice for students affected by examination irregularities.
He asserted that the Modi government was committed to protecting the future of India’s youth and ensuring accountability at every level, including those involved in cheating rackets, negligent examination agencies and their senior management.
Taking a swipe at the Congress, Thakur alleged that despite ruling the country for nearly six decades, it failed to enact a comprehensive law to curb paper leaks. He said the BJP government introduced India’s first central anti-cheating legislation in 2024 and has now moved to make it even stronger in response to growing concerns over examination fraud.
Highlighting the government’s education reforms, Thakur said the expansion of IITs, IIMs, AIIMS and other premier institutions, along with the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020, reflected the Centre’s commitment to building India as a global knowledge hub.
The BJP leader also criticised the Opposition for politicising the issue instead of supporting stronger legislation. Referring to alleged examination scandals during previous governments, he said irregularities in recruitment and entrance examinations had surfaced in several states over the years and stressed that strict action should be taken irrespective of which party was in power.
Targeting the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, Thakur claimed the state’s education system was in disarray due to repeated incidents of paper leaks and recruitment controversies. He said students deserved a transparent and credible examination system and urged all political parties to rise above partisan politics to safeguard their future.
Thakur maintained that while using students’ concerns as election rhetoric may be easy, enacting tough laws to protect their hard work required political will, adding that the Modi government had chosen that path.
