The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Act, 2026

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MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE (Legislative Department) New Delhi, the 31st July, 2026/Sravana 9, 1948 (Saka) The following Act of Parliament received the assent of the President on the 31st July, 2026 and is hereby published for general information:— BillNo. 139-Fof2026 THE PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS (PREVENTION OF UNFAIR MEANS) THE PUBLIC EXAAMMEINNDAMTIEONNTS A(PCRTE, V20E2N6TION OF UNFAIR MEANS) AMENDMENT BILL, 2026 No. 10 of 2026 (AS PASSED BY THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT) A An Act to amend the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) BILL Act, 2024.

to amend the Public Examinations (Prevention of UnfairMeans)Act,2024.

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Seventy-seventh Year of the Republic of

India as follows:—

1. This Act may be called the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Short title.

Means)AmendmentAct, 2026.

1 of 2024. 2. In the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 Amendment of (hereinafterreferred to as theprincipalAct), in section 10,–– section 10.

(a)in sub-section (1), for the words “three years but which may extend to five years and with fine up to ten lakh rupees. In”, the words “five years but which may extend up to ten years and with fine up to fifty lakh rupees, and in” shall be substituted;2 THE GAZETTE OF IND2I A EXTRAORDINARY [Part II—

(b)in sub-section (2),––

(i)for the words “one crore rupees”, the words “five crore rupees” shall be substituted;

(ii) for the words “four years”, the words “eight years” shall be substituted;

(c)in sub-section (3),––

(i) for the words “three years”, the words “five years” shall be substituted;

(ii) for the words “one crore rupees. In”, the words “five crore rupees, and in” shall be substituted.

Amendment of 3.In section 11 of the principal Act, in sub-section (1),––

section 11.

(i) for the words “five years”, the words “seven years” shall be substituted;

(ii) for the words “one crore rupees. In”, the words “ten crore rupees, and in” shall be substituted.

Amendment of 4.In section 12 of the principal Act, in sub-section (2),––

section 12.

(a) after the words “Central Investigating Agency”, the words “or a Special Task Force, as that Government may, by notification, constitute in this behalf” shall be inserted;

(b)the following proviso shall be inserted, namely:–– “Provided that where the Central Government constitutes a Special Task Force under this sub-section, such investigation shall be done only by the Special Task Force so constituted.”.

Insertion of new 5. After section 12 of the principal Act, the following sections shall be sections 12A and inserted, namely:–– 12B.

Fast tracked “12A. (1) The investigation of an offence under this Act, shall be investigation and completed–– SpecialFast

(a) by an officer empowered to investigate under sub-section (1) TrackCourts. of section 12, within a period of two months from the date on which the information was recorded by the officer in-charge of the police station; or

(b) by a Central Investigating Agency, within a period of two months from the date of a reference made to it by the Central Government under sub-section (2) of the said section; or

(c) by a Special Task Force, within a period of two months from the date of issuance of notification in this behalf by the Central Government under sub-section (2) of the said section.

(2) For the purposes of providing a speedy trial on day-to-day basis, every State Government and Union territory Administration shall, in consultation with the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court, by

notification, designate a Court of Session, to be a SpecialFast TrackCourt to try offences under this Act.

(3) A Special Fast Track Court designated under sub-section (2) shall, while trying offences under this Act, also try other offences connected thereto with which the accused may be charged under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 or any other law for the time being in force, at the same trial. 45 of 2023.

(4) In every trial of an offence under this Act, the proceedings shall be continued on day-to-day basis, until all the witnesses in attendance have been examined,unless the Special Fast Track Court, for reasons to be recorded in writing,

finds that adjournment of the same beyond the following day is necessary:Sec. 1] THE GAZETTE OF IND3I A EXTRAORDINARY 3

Provided that such trial shall be completed within a period of three months from the date of filing of the chargesheet.

(5) The cases or trials pertaining to offences under this Act or any other law for the time being in force as specified in sub-section (3), which are pending on the date of commencement of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Act, 2026, shall stand transferred to the Special Fast Track Court designated under sub-section (2).

(6) The trial of cases transferred under sub-section (5) shall be conducted by the Special Fast Track Court designated under sub-section (2) from the stage it is received upon such transfer and shall be completed within a period of three months from the date of such receipt.

(7) Every State Government and Union territory Administration shall, by

notification, appoint one or more Special Public Prosecutors for every Special Fast Track Court in accordance with sub-section (8) of section 18 of the 46 of 2023. Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, for conduct of cases under this Act.

(8) Every person appointed as a Special Public Prosecutor under this

section, shall be deemed to be a Public Prosecutor within the meaning of clause (v) of sub-section (1) of section 2 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha 46 of 2023. Sanhita, 2023 and the provisions of that Sanhita shall apply accordingly.

12B. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Bharatiya Nagarik Appeals.

46 of 2023. Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, an appeal shall lie from any judgment, sentence or

order, not being an interlocutory order, of a Special Fast Track Court to the High Court.

(2) Every appeal under sub-section (1) shall be heard by a bench of two Judges of the High Court and shall, as far as possible, be disposed of within a period of three months from the date of admission of the appeal.

(3) Except as aforesaid, no appeal or revision shall lie to any Court from any judgment, sentence or order including an interlocutory order of a Special Fast Track Court.

(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (3) of section 419 of the 46 of 2023. Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, an appeal shall lie to the High Court against an order of the Special Fast Track Court granting or refusing bail.

(5) Every appealunder thissection shall bepreferredwithin aperiodof thirty days fromthe date of the judgment, sentence or orderappealed from:

Provided that the High Court may entertain an appeal after the expiry of the said period of thirty days if it is satisfied that the appellant had

sufficient cause for not preferring the appeal within the period of thirty days:

Provided further that no appeal shall be entertained after the expiry of the period of ninety days.”. ——— The above Bill has been passed by the Houses of Parliament.

DR. RAJIV MANI, Secretary to the Govt. of India.

Dated the Chairman. ——— UPLOADED BY THE MANAGER, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA PRESS, MINTO ROAD, NEW DELHI–110002 AND PUBLISHED BY THE CONTROLLER OF PUBLICATIONS, DELHI–110054.

I assent to this Bill.

MGIPMRND—487 GI—31.07.2026.

Dated the President.