India’s lower house of Parliament approves a bill that toughens punishment for leaks of competitive exam papers, responding to weeks of student protests over alleged cheating and irregularities. Multiple outlets report the vote takes place on Wednesday, as lawmakers seek to address what they describe as one of the major challenges facing Prime Minister Narendra Modi in recent years.
The legislative changes expand both jail terms and fines. The maximum prison sentence is reported to double to 10 years, alongside an increased financial penalty that rises above $1 million. The move follows broader public pressure and unrest tied to exam-related leaks, where students and other groups have protested in recent weeks.
Channel NewsAsia also links the bill to a political fallout from the protests, citing the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan last week. Taken together, the reports describe a government response through legislative action aimed at deterring exam-paper leakage and related misconduct by raising statutory penalties.
