PM Modi drops late-night selfie video after anti-paper leak bill gets Parliament’s nod, says exam mafias won't be spared

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday welcomed Parliament’s passage of the Public Examinations (Amendment) Bill, 2026, saying tougher laws would help protect students and strengthen trust in India’s examination system.

PM Modi welcomes anti-paper leak bill

In a selfie-style video address released late at night, Modi said examination paper leaks had troubled governments at both the Centre and the states for decades, and had put students' future at risk.

The entire statement is as follows (as translated to English from Hindi using Grok):

"Saathiyo, a credible examination system. To achieve this, we have been taking one step after another. Whether it is the establishment of a task force, the creation of a fast-track mechanism, or taking into account the suggestions of the states, these measures are essential because, for several decades, every state government and the Central Government have had to grapple with the problem of examination paper leaks. As a result, the future of our children has also been put at risk.

Keeping all this in mind, it has become imperative to reform the education system across the country, both at the state and central levels. There is also a pressing need to make full use of technology.

At the same time, any paper-leak mafia, any gang involved in leaking examination papers, or any group that seeks to play with the future of the nation’s children will not be spared. There is also a need for stringent laws to deal with such offences.

We introduced a Bill in Parliament, and, as I had promised you, both Houses of Parliament examined it in detail. Our honourable Members of Parliament debated it comprehensively, and today both Houses have passed this Bill, which contains stringent legal provisions.

This marks an important step towards establishing a credible examination system. Our work, however, will continue. We will not allow such situations to persist for long.

With that confidence, my friends, let us all move forward together, shoulder to shoulder, to realise the dream of a developed India.

Thank you very much."

The PM said the government had taken several steps to improve the credibility of public examinations, including setting up a task force, creating faster mechanisms to address irregularities and seeking suggestions from states.

More about the Public Examinations (Amendment) Bill, 2026

The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, was passed by the Lok Sabha on 29 July and then by the Rajya Sabha on 30 July. The legislation strengthens provisions under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which was introduced to curb organised malpractice in public examinations.

The Bill aims to strengthen India’s legal framework against examination fraud, including paper leaks and organised malpractice. It will become law after receiving the President’s assent.

Modi said Parliament had examined and debated the Bill before passing it, describing the legislation as an important step towards building a credible examination system. He added that the government’s work on preventing paper leaks would continue and linked the effort to the broader goal of building a developed India.

Modi's latest video was the fourth in a series of direct social media addresses focused on the paper leak issue.

All provisions under the Bill

The amendments substantially increase penalties for those found guilty of using unfair means. Individuals convicted under the law can face between five and 10 years in prison, compared with the three-to-five-year punishment provided under the earlier legislation. The maximum financial penalty has also been increased from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh.

The Bill provides for stronger action against agencies and service providers found to be involved in examination fraud. Such organisations can face fines of up to ₹5 crore and may be barred from conducting examinations for 8 years, doubling the earlier disqualification period.

Those involved in organised examination-related crime could face a minimum prison term of seven years and fines of up to ₹10 crore.

The legislation also introduces time-bound procedures to ensure cases are handled more quickly. Investigations must be completed within two months of being referred by the Centre, while states and Union Territories will be required to establish fast-track courts to complete trials within three months of the filing of a chargesheet.

Offences under the law will continue to be cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable. Students appearing for examinations, however, will not be treated as accused under the legislation.

The Bill will become law after receiving the President’s assent.