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Bansuri Swaraj said the Bill addresses a long-standing gap in the system and strengthens safeguards against unfair practices in public examinations.
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj on Tuesday strongly backed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recognised the need for stronger laws against paper leaks and responded with a legislative solution.
Leading the debate for the treasury benches, Swaraj said the Bill addresses a long-standing gap in the system and strengthens safeguards against unfair practices in public examinations.
“Where Congress-led UPA made a policy vacuum, if I borrow the Gen Z language, then I will have to say, Modi ji clocked it and provided a legislative solution,” she said, clicking her fingers while making the remark.
Bill proposes stricter punishment for paper leaks
The decision to have Swaraj lead the debate is seen as part of the NDA’s effort to project younger leaders on a Bill brought in after youth-led protests across the country over the NEET paper leak.
The proposed legislation seeks to increase punishment for those involved in leaking question papers, answer keys and other examination-related malpractices. It provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years and a maximum fine of Rs 50 lakh.
Apart from enhanced penalties, the Bill proposes the creation of a special task force to investigate such offences and special fast-track courts to conduct trials.
‘A transformative amendment’
Calling it a “transformative amendment”, Swaraj said the legislation was not only necessary but also reflected the demands of the time.
“When a competitive examination gets compromised, it not only impacts the candidate whose future is at stake, but also the mother, who feeds warm milk and almonds to her child at 4 am. It also impacts the father, who pays the child’s fees by renouncing his desires,” she said.
She added that Prime Minister Modi had described paper leaks as a heinous crime and said that was the reason behind introducing the amendment.
Swaraj said competitive examinations represent one of the most merit-based systems in the country.
“In a democracy as complex as ours, in a democracy as large as ours, an examination is definitely the truest, most meritocratic ritual, because this is one ritual where under the same clock, the son of a labourer and the daughter of a CEO sit down, answer the same set of questions and get judged by the same yardstick. When such a ritual is compromised, what gets diluted is a very holy covenant,” she said.
Targets ‘pariksha mafia’, Opposition
The BJP MP also referred to the existence of a “pariksha mafia” and a cross-state criminal network involved in paper leaks. She said the proposed special task force would remove jurisdiction-related hurdles in investigating such cases.
Explaining the provisions of the Bill, Swaraj said it “protects merit, preserves fairness and safeguards the dreams of India’s youth”, adding that it was “the product of responsive governance by a responsible Modi government”.
She further said Prime Minister Modi had ensured that “children become exam warriors from exam worriers” and highlighted what she described as a “reform express” in the education sector over the past 12 years.
Swaraj also accused the Congress and the Opposition of trying to create the impression that paper leaks began only after 2014. She listed several instances of examinations being cancelled due to paper leaks before 2014 at both the central and state levels.
“This is not about whataboutery, I am calling out the Opposition on its selective outrage. I want to ask the Opposition, if this is a battle of principles, then how does the principle change after looking at the government? I want to ask, they spoke of the former education minister, but has Gaurav Gogoi ji asked for the resignation of Punjab’s education minister?” she said.
About the Author
Shuddhanta Patra, a seasoned journalist with eight years of experience, serves as Senior Sub‑Editor at CNN News 18. With expertise across national politics, geopolitics, business news, she has influen…Read More
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