The government’s new 2026 anti-leak legislation and high-tech task force signal a decisive effort to stop exam malpractice and protect students’ academic futures. Ironically, the opposition parties demanding strict action on the paper leaks were seen derailing the very law meant to do that. They stand exposed due to their aggressive and shameful behaviour that was on display in the Parliament, especially the frustration of the LoP.
The 2026 Amendment to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 features stringent measures like heavy prison terms, massive financial penalties, and fast-track trials.
Will such a stringent law work? I doubt. Let us analyse with examples. Have murders stopped due to the death penalty or life imprisonment? Have the laws providing for stringent punishment stopped rapes? No. Robberies, No. The same is true with fast-track courts. All it can do is punish the guilty quickly, provided the suspects are caught and put to trial quickly! But there are always questions of evidence because you can’t punish somebody based on a mere suspicion. And then there are endless possibilities for bail and appeals against the verdict of a lower court in higher courts. So, tareek pe tareek! The example of CBI’s clean chit to alleged NEET-UG 2024 mastermind Sanjeev Mukhiya after more than 2 years, due to lack of evidence linking him to the paper leak, proves this point.
A recent report in India Today shows 70 exam paper leaks in the last 7 years across 15 states. Exam paper leaks are not a recent phenomenon, it has been happening for decades, and with no convictions whatsoever, raise questions about the integrity of exams and the intentions of the government. During the 1960s and 1970s, the phenomenon of “guides” and “guess papers”, often referred to as “important question papers,” served as the earliest evolutionary form of organized paper leaks in the Indian education system.
These leaks were clever, localized, and heavily institutionalized ploys involving the printing press industry and corrupt academic networks. This has now moved up the technology ladder in modern times, using various digital platforms for the distribution of leaked papers. In my opinion, such a stringent law will only raise the stakes and make the offence riskier for the fraudsters. But then, a greater risk means a greater reward from the crime!
Does it mean that this stringent law serves no purpose? My answer is no. This law will act as a crucial deterrent and a necessary first step toward systemic improvement. To maximize effectiveness, the policy must also penalise buyers of leaked papers.
Building a foolproof system requires people with unquestionable integrity in both design and operation. Relying on a high-powered task force led by Nandan Nilekani (Infosys co-founder and former UIDAI chairman) and other members of great repute puts the design phase in safe hands. Now, the government must clarify its strategy for the operational phase. The defining keyword is “Integrity”.
To use an analogy, a burglar intent on a break-in in a house will find a way past almost any lock. You can install stronger mechanisms, moving from standard levers to complex fingerprint or facial scanners, but this only alters the equation. It increases the burglar’s risk of getting caught rather than making the house truly impenetrable. Of course, better locks may lead to fewer crimes, but they can never stop burglary altogether.
The message is clear. What really prevents burglaries is not strong locks but the absence of burglars. The government needs to work in this direction. After all, at the end of the day, even if the offenders are caught and duly punished, the loss suffered by the students because of leaked question papers is irreversible.
I will conclude with some advice to Gen Z who witnessed the Boston fiasco at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi during May-July 2026. While raising your voice on exam paper leaks is your fundamental and democratic right, don’t become a cockroach in the hands of selfish, self-centred political sharks whose sole agenda is only their self-promotion. You are far better with books in your hands, not the vulgar placards, as your degree and your skills are your real power. Your future is built in the classroom, not on the streets running helter-skelter like cockroaches feasting on biryanis, pizzas, puris and samosas while the head cockroach rests in five-star comfort along with his cohorts.
You don’t have to choose between caring about issues and studying hard. You can support causes through informed voting, petitions, social media awareness, and local engagement, but don’t lose your focus on academics. Use your anger as fuel for discipline, not as an excuse to waste time. Be responsible, not just reactive.
And finally, holding the system accountable is important, but so is personal accountability: attending classes, reducing distractions, and building real skills. A rising Bharat needs both strong citizens and strong students. No country or system is perfect, so do ours. There is always a crack somewhere, but that’s how the light gets in.
Excellent and timely article. I agree with all the points made in the article. The burglary analogy is quite true. Finally one word – laws are meant for law abiding people. Corrupt and criminals don’t care for law!! I agree with your final point on students should be careful not falling prey to politics.
The entire country admissions is being done only on the basis of one exam conducted once a year on a single day. If you fail to perform on one occassion you are a looser.
You can observe for Civil Service prelims, mains interview three opportunities are there.
In sports person or team perform repeatedly in multiple times sports. In NEET, either your 20th, 11th, 12th performance, NEET prelims performance should make a candidate eligible for NEET main exam If a single performance make eligible for admission without previous performance make it crucial competative and corrupt, by a single malpractice influence it can make easy for admission without knowledge.
Creating laws make things difficult for a few but not impossible for others. People wait for the opportunity to prove themselves irresponsible, unethical, greedy….
In an independent country like India, where we have layers of courts and judges with varied ideologies and justifications, people with malafide intentions have “n” number of routes and ways to mitigate their malafide intentions – comfortably and can go scot-free with the assistance of a fleet of advocates across the country willing to take up their cases and arrange an escape route for them. When ethics are lost the system goes out of gear. When morals and values are lost the system “collapses” That’s precisely what’s happening now. The examination system that’s prevailing for any exam in our country has multiple layers of employees handling the total procedure and simultaneously there is a vast scope for unscrupulous persons to make “money” by adapting malpractices keeping aside morals and values for their personal gains.
Excellent write up Dr Chadda Saab, you have analysed the present situation accurately. Ur analogy with burglars is a testament to the fact that whatever higher grade of security established, the burglar will rise to the occasion. ongoing Digital fraud is a live example. Your conclusion recommending the Gen Z is very good. Please continue to write about contemporary issues. Best wishes
This thought-provoking article should be an eye-opener for today’s youth.
Very nice and well written article. The advice to so called Gen Z is good and timely. Students should realise that politicians use them for their political gains not to the cause.
Very well written article focusing on the existing problem in paper leaks. Timely warning/advice to the students not to fall prey to politicians. The agitation looks more to oppose the present dispensation than to brought the real issue. We are privileged to read your articles on current affairs. Very nice and keep it up sir
The issue is very complicated because it has several other components involved. GoI has promptly acted with bringing a law, which is a must to start with. Parallely, efforts should be made in other directions also, like improving our basic educational system, making students, teachers and coaching centers also equally accountable. It is a long way to go, but timely and good decision by GoI.
There are many systems and institutions in our country that need fixing, Healthcare in India is definitely one of them.
This complete heathcare ecosystem needs integrity and honesty, right from the NEET test to how hospitals treat their patients to the entire public Healthcare system.
The intent of the person if focused on how to get rich rather than the noble deed of saving lives will always look for ways and means to beat the system.
Hence strengthen the ecosystem to get genuine and deserving persons with focus on ethics as both our private and public Healthcare systems severely lack that.
Any steps taken in that direction is welcome and better late than ever.
Lets hope that these steps promote merit and allow the deserving to succeed.
Leakages of question papers followed by enquiry committees have become a postmortem science all over India. As mentioned in the article the rigorous punishments have become useless in all crimes.
paperless exams ie., computer based testing similar to a driving license test, issuing question papers just a few minutes before start of a test through a flawless network etc. may help solve the problems for the organisers as well as aspirants to a great extent.
Sir, I was truly impressed by your article. It presents a balanced perspective by acknowledging that stronger laws are necessary while emphasizing that implementation and integrity are equally important. While reading it, a few questions came to mind:
1. If stronger punishments alone cannot eliminate paper leaks, what should be the government’s top three priorities over the next five years to significantly reduce such incidents?
2. You highlighted the importance of integrity. How can integrity be measured and ensured among everyone involved in setting, printing, transporting, and conducting examinations?
3. Should India establish a permanent **National Examination Security Authority** to oversee the security of all major public examinations?
4. Since most modern paper leaks involve digital platforms, what role should Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital forensics play in preventing leaks before they happen?
5. Do you think question papers should eventually move to a fully encrypted digital distribution system instead of physical printing and transportation?
6. Should examination agencies conduct mandatory independent cybersecurity and security audits every year?
7. You mentioned penalizing buyers of leaked papers. Should coaching institutes, middlemen, and organized syndicates also face stricter financial penalties, including confiscation of illegally earned assets?
8. What mechanisms can encourage honest officials or students to report suspicious activities without fear of retaliation?
9. Should every paper leak investigation have a legally defined completion timeline so that justice is not delayed?
10. How can governments balance transparency with confidentiality? Should investigation reports and security audit summaries be made public after examinations conclude?
11. When a paper leak forces an examination to be cancelled, should there be a formal compensation or support mechanism for affected students who lose valuable time and opportunities?
12. Do you think India should develop indigenous examination security technologies instead of depending on external solutions for critical systems?
13. Should there be periodic integrity and ethics training for officials involved in examination administration?
14. Would random AI-generated question papers from a large encrypted question bank reduce the possibility of organized leaks?
15. Should every examination centre receive a security rating based on its compliance with national security standards?
16. How can technology prevent insider threats, which often appear to be a major factor in examination leaks?
17. Should the law be reviewed every three to five years to address emerging technologies such as AI, encrypted communication platforms, and other evolving cyber threats?
18. Beyond legislation, what educational or societal changes are needed to reduce the demand for leaked papers among students?
19. How can we build a culture where merit is valued so strongly that both leaking and purchasing question papers become socially unacceptable?
20. Finally, what indicators would convince you that this reform has truly succeeded? Would success be measured by fewer leaks, faster investigations, higher public trust, or something else?
I would be grateful to hear your views on these questions. They would help readers better understand how India can move from reacting to paper leaks to preventing them altogether.
Excellent piece of advice to.Gen Gs.
As long as there is no basic honesty amongst us, these things will continue to recur.