New Delhi: After a week-long deadlock in the Lok Sabha, a breakthrough appeared likely on Tuesday as Opposition parties agreed to take part in debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, following intensive negotiations between the government and the Opposition.
The Bill — moved in the House on Monday by Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh amid noisy protests — had not ended the impasse. Opposition benches continued to press for a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on police action against student demonstrators at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere, even as the legislation, aimed at tougher penalties for exam malpractice, drew attention. The proposed amendments seek penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50 lakh for those found guilty.
Speaker intervenes To Broker Talks
With repeated disruptions forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla stepped in and asked both sides to settle their differences. He gave leaders a three-hour window to negotiate so debate on the Bill could begin by 5 pm.
Sources said that in back-channel discussions the government offered a six-hour debate if the Opposition cooperated. The Opposition feared that a continued boycott might allow the Bill to be pushed through without any discussion, as reported by The New Indian Express.
Senior Congress leaders later met the Speaker and conveyed that the Opposition would participate in the discussion on Tuesday.
“We did not want to be seen as opposing reforms. We are conscious that the youth of the country is watching. We have decided to join the debate while raising the issue of police brutality against students protesting at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere,” a senior Opposition leader told reporters.
Stalled Proceedings & Sloganeering
When the House reconvened at 5 pm, members of the Opposition continued to raise slogans despite the chair’s repeated calls to stick to the Bill, which the Speaker stressed concerned the future of crores of youth.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accused the Congress and “some of its friends” of blocking debate, saying several members, including some from the opposition, were willing to speak but disruptions prevented it. The chair ultimately adjourned the House for the day.
A parliamentary source later confirmed the temporary breakthrough: “All political parties have agreed to discuss the anti-paper leak Bill on Tuesday. Following Om Birla’s initiative and sustained dialogue, floor leaders of political parties have agreed to commence discussion on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026,” the source said.
Government Presses Ahead
Earlier, Rijiju had warned the House that the government would not allow the Bill to be stalled. “If the Opposition parties do not want to discuss the Bill, the government will get the Bill passed without discussion,” he said in Lok Sabha, asserting the legislation would be carried even without Opposition participation.
Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc held a strategy meeting where most constituents favoured pressing the government on alleged police excesses against students before joining the debate. Sources said the consensus was to make a one-day protest and then participate in the Bill’s discussion. The Samajwadi Party reportedly suggested the government should also agree to debate allegations related to the Ram temple, though no formal condition was attached.