Swapna Kumbar , Bengaluru - The Centre has proposed amendments to India’s anti-cheating law to crack down harder on paper leaks, organised exam fraud and other malpractices. The draft bill would sharply raise jail terms and financial penalties for both individuals and institutions involved in cheating.

According to reports, the proposed changes would increase punishment for individuals using unfair means from three to five years to five to ten years in prison, with the maximum fine rising from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. The bill also expands tougher punishment for organised exam fraud, with a minimum seven-year jail term and a fine of up to Rs 10 crore for guilty institutions or service providers.

Service providers engaged by exam authorities would face much steeper consequences, including fines of up to Rs 5 crore and a longer ban from participating in public examinations. If company directors or senior managers are found to have connived in the offence, they could face at least five years in jail and a Rs 5 crore fine.

The proposal comes as the government faces intense pressure over alleged exam leaks, including the NEET controversy. It appears aimed at restoring confidence in the public examination system by making both prosecution and penalties much stricter.

If passed, the bill would mark one of the toughest legal crackdowns yet on exam cheating in India. The government is clearly trying to show that paper leaks and organised malpractice will carry far heavier consequences than before.