28 July,2026 12:01 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Sanjay Raut. File Pic
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday criticised the Centre's proposed anti-paper leak legislation, alleging that the "biggest paper leak racket" operates within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and asserting that stricter punishment alone would not solve the problem.
Speaking to ANI in the national capital, Raut described the proposed legislation as an updated version of the existing law with harsher penalties.
"There will certainly be discussions regarding the anti-paper leak issue, but the world's largest protest against paper leaks took place at Jantar Mantar in India. Now, a new bill has been introduced. Modi ji seems to think he has achieved a monumental feat," Raut told ANI.
"It is the same old bill. All that has changed is that the prison term has been increased from one year to ten years, and the fine raised from Rs 1 crore to Rs 10 crore," he added.
Raut alleged that those arrested in connection with the NEET paper leak case in Maharashtra had links with the BJP and questioned the government's role in appointments to educational institutions.
"The biggest paper leak racket is operating within the Bharatiya Janata Party. The individuals arrested in Maharashtra in connection with the NEET paper leak are all affiliated with the BJP. You are the ones who appoint the Vice-Chancellors. Your people occupy positions on the major education boards, such as those overseeing NEET, so they collude to carry out these activities, and they will continue to do so. Merely introducing a bill will achieve nothing," he said.
These allegations were made by Raut. The BJP had not responded to the claims at the time of reporting.
Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh on Monday introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha.
The proposed legislation seeks to strengthen legal provisions against examination malpractices by increasing penalties for offences related to paper leaks and unfair means in public examinations.
According to INDIA bloc sources, Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K.C. Venugopal and Gaurav Gogoi, are expected to participate in the Lok Sabha debate on the Bill.
Opposition parties have indicated they support stronger measures against paper leaks but have sought a response from the government over the recent police action against protesting students.
"We are neither against the paper leak bill nor discussion on it; we fully support any move to strengthen exams, but we need an answer on pellet guns and excessive use of force against protesting students," an INDIA bloc source told ANI.
The discussion follows Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's allocation of dedicated parliamentary time to deliberate on the proposed legislation aimed at curbing examination malpractices nationwide.
(With inputs from ANI)
