The Union Cabinet has approved a draft bill to introduce stricter punishments for examination paper leaks, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement. This new legislation builds upon the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, aiming to curb cheating in public examinations conducted by various central agencies amidst recent controversies like the NEET and NET paper leaks.
Activist Gurjeet Singh Khalsa ended his 560-day protest atop a BSNL tower after the Punjab government notified a stricter anti-sacrilege law. Khalsa had been demanding stricter laws against sacrilege incidents in Punjab.
A silent march was held in Pune, demanding capital punishment for the accused in the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in Nasrapur village. Members of the girl's family also joined the march, which was taken out from Balgandharv Chowk to the Swatantryaveer Savarkar Statue in the city.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has called for an independent Supreme Court-monitored high-powered committee to investigate alleged brutalities against students during protests. He also demanded the sacking of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing him of culpability or incompetence regarding the police action, including the use of pellet guns. The BJP has refuted Gandhi's allegations, calling them baseless.
The Lok Sabha has approved an amendment to India's anti-paper leak law, introducing stricter punishments including jail terms of up to 10 years and fines of up to Rs 50 lakh, in response to recent large-scale student protests and the NEET paper leak case.
A 12-year-old girl, reported missing in Budgam district, Jammu and Kashmir, was found murdered near her home, prompting a police investigation and widespread condemnation.
The Lok Sabha stalemate is expected to conclude as Speaker Om Birla has secured an agreement from all political parties to discuss the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill 2026. This bill proposes stricter punishments, including up to 10 years in jail and a Rs 50 lakh fine, for paper leak offences, following recent nationwide student protests over the NEET fiasco.
Amidst escalating protests over the NEET paper leak, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has declared Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation 'non-negotiable' and is also demanding 1 crore compensation for families affected by suicides linked to the exam cancellation.
Ajmer Sharif cleric Syed Sarwar Chishti has urged the Centre to declare the cow as the national animal and impose a nationwide ban on its slaughter and sale for sacrifice.
The Punjab Assembly has unanimously passed a bill proposing stricter punishment, including life imprisonment and a fine up to Rs 25 lakh, for any act of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib.
After six days of stalemate, a discussion on the anti-paper leak bill began on Tuesday in Lok Sabha with the government describing it as a reaffirmation of ruling dispensation's commitment to safeguard the welfare of students but opposition hit back over the lathi-charge on protesters, saying every blow on them hurt the government's prestige more than the backs of the youth.
Following Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's decision to cancel the JSSC-CGL exam and other recruitment tests due to alleged irregularities, approximately 2,000 successful candidates now fear losing their jobs, demanding a CBI probe and a fair opportunity to defend themselves.
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj has given the Punjab government one month to address objections regarding the anti-sacrilege law, the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, which he claims was enacted without consulting the Sikh Panth and interferes in religious affairs.
Amidst widespread student protests over the NEET paper leak, the Indian government has introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha. The bill proposes significantly stricter punishments, including jail terms of up to 10 years and fines of up to Rs 50 lakh for individuals involved in paper leaks, and up to Rs 10 crore for organised crimes, aiming to enhance transparency and fairness in public examinations.
Holding Home Minister Amit Shah responsible for alleged police brutalities on protesting students, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said that "Jan Shakti" (people's power) will "drag him out" one day to make him accountable.
Opposition parties, particularly the Congress, have strongly criticised the BJP for felicitating former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who resigned following student protests over the NEET exam controversy. They have also dismissed the government's proposed anti-paper leak legislation as a 'cosmetic Bill' and questioned the sincerity of education reforms.
Monday's proceedings demonstrated that the legislative debate has become inseparable from the broader political crisis surrounding the NEET controversy.
The BJP is significantly increasing its digital engagement with young people on Instagram, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Union ministers, in response to the NEET-UG paper leak controversy and subsequent student protests. This strategic shift aims to counter the narrative and communicate government actions on examination reforms.
Parliament on Thursday passed a bill to amend the anti-paper leak law to introduce stricter punishments, with the government expressing its commitment to go the extra mile to safeguard the interests of students, who are the country's future.
Residents of Chhatarpur, Delhi, protest the murder of a 17-year-old, demanding justice and stricter punishment for the accused, including trying a juvenile as an adult.
An 8-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a security guard in Mumbai's Pydhonie area, leading to his arrest and widespread public protests. Hundreds gathered outside the police station, demanding swift justice and stricter laws, drawing attention from political figures like MLA Rohit Pawar.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has reiterated its demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on fast-track courts for paper leak cases does not address accountability.
The death of a 17-year-old boy in Delhi, who was shot after objecting to the harassment of a girl, has triggered widespread protests and demands for justice. Family and community members are calling for swift action against those responsible.
A 13-year-old rape survivor in Palghar district was visited by an official, sparking outrage and calls for stricter laws and swift justice in the case.
The Maharashtra assembly has passed the Freedom of Religion Bill 2026, introducing strict measures to prevent religious conversions through coercion, fraud, or marriage, sparking debate over constitutional rights and religious freedom.
Following the demolition of a house linked to an accused in the Uttam Nagar Holi clash, the victim's family is demanding a CBI probe and strict action against all those involved in the incident.
The Uttarakhand assembly on Wednesday passed a stricter anti-conversion Bill making unlawful conversion a cognisable and non-bailable offence punishable with imprisonment for a term of at least three to a maximum of 10 years.
The draft legislation seeks capital punishment for persons convicted of rape if their actions result in the victim's death or leave her in a vegetative state.
Asserting that her government has zero tolerance to incidents of rape, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said an amendment to existing laws will be passed in the state assembly next week to ensure capital punishment to convicted rapists.
Parents of the December 16 gang rape victim participated in a candlelight march at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi demanding justice for their daughter.
On April 15, 2013, the convicts had shoved objects in the victim's private parts and leaving her in a house believing she was dead. The child was rescued 40 hours later on April 17 and had to undergo multiple surgeries at All India Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in Delhi.
Like the UPA government, probably the NDA government also feels that hardships caused to taxpayers are just collateral damage and that taxpayers are too few and even those few don't have a vote (non-individuals) or don't vote, says Harsh Roongta.
A girl who was set on fire by a person after she did not reciprocate his proposal in Jharkhand's Dumka district succumbed to her burn injuries on Sunday.
Rashid was at the Press Club in Delhi on Monday afternoon, when three men set upon him and threw black ink on him.
The Mumbai police on Friday moved closer to nailing the five accused arrested in the photojournalist's gang rape case with forensic tests confirming that DNA samples found on the victim matched with those of the suspects.
Activists raised questions over the rampant sale of acid in markets and claimed that the ban exists only on paper.
Asking the government to take strict action, DMK MP Kanimozhi said 'we need stricter laws' to deal with such cases.
A third accused in the brutal gang rape of a 23-year-old photojournalist was arrested on Saturday from south Mumbai even as police launched a manhunt for two others in the case, which sparked a wave of protests.
Initially facing two years jail, the actor was hit with a stricter legal provision following a public outcry, reports Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
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I cannot agree with the sentiment that hanging rapists will make sexual harassment and assault, and other forms of violence against women, magically disappear. Misogyny has stained our culture for far too long for merely judicial recourse to be able to wash it away, says Paloma Sharma.
