"All nonsense...": TMC MP Kirti Azad dismisses exam leak penalties as ineffective

Speaking to ANI, he argued that merely increasing prison terms and financial penalties neither addresses the systemic flaws plaguing the National Testing Agency (NTA) nor does it stop the dishonest networks that profit from exam fraud.

"What guarantee did they give that leaks wouldn't happen? They said that they have raised the penalty amount from one crore to ten crores. They increased the duration of the punishment. What is this 'anti-paper leak' measure really about? It is all nonsense. You should remove them and terminate them. Those who embezzled funds meant for the Ram Mandir; they keep stealing-stealing votes, stealing donation money, and stealing through paper leaks. How many of their thefts should I list?" he asked.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MP Mahua Maji emphasised that the government's primary focus should shift toward ensuring absolute transparency and institutional accountability rather than relying solely on sweeping penal actions.

"Rather than enacting sweeping legal provisions, it is better to ensure accountability and bring about transparency. It is often observed that innocent people get entangled in such laws while the guilty manage to cleverly escape. Laws should be enacted, but they should not contain such harsh provisions that an innocent person's life is ruined if they get caught in them. We believe that accountability and transparency must be ensured," she said.

The Lok Sabha passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 on Wednesday after Union Minister Jitendra Singh defended the legislation as a significant step towards curbing paper leaks, while Opposition members argued that it focused primarily on harsher punishment rather than addressing systemic weaknesses in the examination process.

Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha is scheduled to take up the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, for consideration and passing. (ANI)