New Delhi: Around 158 cases linked to alleged recruitment examination irregularities are awaiting the start of trial in various courts in the country despite the completion of CBI investigations, with some of them registered more than two decades ago, sources said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has decided to approach all high courts to transfer these pending cases to the fast-track courts, which are being set up in various states to handle cases under the new anti-paper leak law, they said.
Sources said the CBI has decided to
President Droupadi Murmu approved the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Act, 2026, mandating fast-track courts, stricter penalties and time-bound investigations for paper leak cases, with imprisonment up to 10 years and fines reaching Rs 10 crore
The government plans to amend the Public Examinations Act, introducing harsher penalties up to ₹10 crore, statutory Special Task Forces, and Special Fast-Track Courts. The proposed changes mandate two-month investigations and three-month trials to swiftly curb organized examination fraud
The Union Cabinet approved a draft bill proposing stricter penalties for paper leaks, including up to 10 years' imprisonment and a ₹10 crore fine for organised rackets. The legislation also mandates time-bound investigations and fast-track trials to curb examination malpractices
Rajeev Chandrasekhar urged students protesting the alleged NEET paper leak to remain peaceful and avoid violence, saying accountability, investigation and reforms were essential while insisting Parliament was the appropriate forum to debate the issue
The bigger problem isn’t the platform but the vulnerabilities within India’s examination system, where leaks often originate long before they surface on messaging apps
