Parliament Monsoon Session Highlights | ‘Move away from single high-stress examination model’: Shashi Tharoor in LS

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske alleged that the Opposition is ‘not serious’ about the paper leak issue which is why they hampered the House proceedings. “If the Opposition was serious about the paper leak issue, they would allow a discussion to happen. They are not serious; they only want to play politics. Their own alliance is facing problems, and that is why they are behaving this way,” Mhaske told ANI.

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: BJP leader Arun Govil slammed the Opposition after the House was adjourned on Tuesday morning ahead of debate on anti-paper leak bill debate. As the Lok Sabha proceedings started, the Opposition created raised its pitch over the alleged use of pellet guns on NEET leak protesters.

“The Opposition had indicated yesterday that they were ready for a discussion, but it is unfortunate that they repeatedly go back on their word. This is an important bill for the country, students, and the youth...The bill introduced contains strong provisions that will resolve most of the issues. They should participate in the discussion and help pass the bill if they genuinely care about students’ welfare. I would simply tell students not to get involved in politics. Whatever grievances they have will be addressed through this bill. The government is fully committed to resolving these issues and has maintained a positive approach,” Govil told ANI.

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: Ahead of the key debate on new tougher paper leak bill – Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill – Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended NDA Parliamentary Party's 'Mangal Milan' meeting, along with Union home minister Amit Shah and defence minister Rajnath Singh.

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: Congress leader Nana patole took a dig at the BJP for over the anti-paper leak bill saying that laws existed before as well. “The fundamental issue is that you failed to implement the laws you had already enacted. A widespread trend of paper leaks emerged in the country under the BJP government…we have now come to question their intentions,” Patole told ANI.

“The bill certainly needs to be discussed. But my primary question is this: laws already exist in the country; provisions for a 10-year prison sentence were in place before and remain so today; there is nothing new about that. A bill was passed in 2024, and now they are bringing another one in 2026.”

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: CPI Rajya Sabha MP P Sandosh Kumar on Tuesday submitted a Suspension of Business Notice under Rule 267, seeking an immediate discussion in the Upper House on constituting an independent judicial commission to probe the alleged police action against students protesting over NEET examination irregularities and the circumstances that led to nationwide student agitations.

In his notice, Kumar urged the Chair to suspend the listed business of the House, including Zero Hour and Question Hour, to deliberate on the demand for an independent inquiry headed by a sitting or retired Supreme Court judge.

According to the notice, the proposed commission should investigate "the brutal police action against the students who protested against the NEET exam irregularities and the circumstances leading to the nationwide student agitation, including allegations relating to examination paper leaks and other irregularities."

The CPI MP argued that an inquiry conducted solely by executive agencies may not adequately address concerns regarding independence and impartiality, given the public importance of the issue.

The notice proposes that the judicial commission examine the circumstances leading to nationwide protests over the NEET examination, probe allegations of question paper leaks, examination irregularities, administrative lapses and systemic failures, investigate whether the police action against students in New Delhi was lawful, necessary and proportionate, and recommend institutional, administrative and legal reforms to safeguard the integrity of national entrance examinations and protect students' democratic right to peaceful protest.

Calling the matter "definite, urgent and of great public importance," Kumar said it concerns "the future of millions of students, the credibility of India's public examination system, public confidence in national institutions, and the protection of constitutional rights."

via ANI

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut displayed skepticism over the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, saying that only the jail term and fine has increased, while it is essentially the ‘same old bill’.

“Now, a new bill has been introduced. Modi ji seems to think he has achieved a monumental feat. It is the same old bill. All that has changed is that the prison term has been increased from one year to ten years, and the fine raised from ₹1 crore to ₹10 crore. The biggest paper leak racket is operating within the Bharatiya Janata Party. The individuals arrested in Maharashtra in connection with the NEET paper leak are all affiliated with the BJP,” Raut said.

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: Launching a blistering attack on TMC rebels who switched to the NCPI, Saugata Roy said they won the polls by displaying 'Mamata Banerjee's photograph'. “They have betrayed the party. They left the party, and the MPs won by opposing the BJP are now joining them. What can one say about such betrayal?” Roy said.

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: NDA Parliamentary Party's 'Mangal Milan' meeting has started at the Parliament with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and defence minister Rajnath Singh in attendance.

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: The Opposition slammed the BJP for giving a rousing welcome to Dharmendra Pradhan, former Union education minister who was forced to resign last week over the NEET paper leak controversy. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called him a ‘symbol of corruption’ and 'India's ruined education system.' Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, alleged that felicitating Pradhan in Parliament amounted to celebrating the destruction of the future of lakhs of students.

"Dharmendra Pradhan is, and will always remain, the symbol of corruption and India's ruined education system. It is that very system that took the lives of 26 children and forced lakhs of youth onto the streets. His resignation did not come out of morality - it was forced out of fear of the youth's rage. And today, the BJP is garlanding that same person inside Parliament. This is not an honour--it is a celebration of ruining the futures of lakhs of children. Every student in the country is watching this. And they will remember every face involved in this," he wrote in a post on X.

Read full story

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: The new anti-paper leak bill substantially amends the 2024 Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, in line with promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of surging protests by students. The new bill proposes to finish trials within three months from the filing of the charge sheet, a special task force, time-bound probe, and daily proceedings during trial.

According to the proposed law, anyone resorting to “unfair means and offences”, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not less than “five years but which may extend up to ten years and with fine up to ₹50 lakh”. Similarly, the service provider can be punished with a fine of ₹5 crore and the proportionate cost of exam shall also be recovered from the service provider, who will be barred from any responsibility for a public examination for eight years.

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: On Monday, Union minister Jitendra Singh introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill –– which aims for stricter punishment, hikes the minimum jail term and quantum of fines, and promises speedy trials by setting up fast-track courts –– but the Opposition’s vociferous protests drowned the ruling side’s efforts to push through the bill twice.

The united Opposition sought accountability from Union home minister Amit Shah over allegations of police excesses and the use of pellet guns during the sweeping protests over paper leaks on July 20 that brought the Capital to a halt and ultimately led to the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday.

The bill was introduced amid protests and slogans. The Lok Sabha was repeatedly adjourned through the day as the Opposition refused to relent.

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said the Opposition would decide its future course of action on Tuesday over the anti-paper leak bill, while reiterating its demand that the Centre assure students that no injustice would be done to them and provide compensation to the families of those affected amid the ongoing row over the police action on student protesters.

Speaking to reporters, Yadav said the government must clearly state that students would not face any injustice in the future.

"A decision on the course of action will be taken tomorrow. We demand that the government clearly state that no injustice will be done to the students, their families will receive compensation, and they will not face any injustice in the future either," he said.

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: On Monday, Congress chief and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge led the charge in the Upper House. “It has never happened in the history of India that boys were beaten and dragged. Amit Shah ji is responsible!”

He posted on X, “It is one of the gravest assaults on democracy in our history. Never before have students been beaten, dragged, and treated like criminals for raising their voices. Home minister Amit Shah must be held accountable! In Bihar, reports indicate use of AK-47 against students. True? Why are students being picked up in BJP ruled states?... Those responsible cannot escape accountability.”

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: The new bill substantially amends the 2024 Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, in line with promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of surging protests by students. The new bill proposes to finish trials within three months from the filing of the charge sheet, a special task force, time-bound probe, and daily proceedings during trial.

According to the proposed law, anyone resorting to “unfair means and offences”, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not less than “five years but which may extend up to ten years and with fine up to ₹50 lakh”. Similarly, the service provider can be punished with a fine of ₹5 crore and the proportionate cost of exam shall also be recovered from the service provider, who will be barred from any responsibility for a public examination for eight years.

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: The Opposition sought accountability from Union home minister Amit Shah over allegations of police excesses and the use of pellet guns during the sweeping protests over paper leaks on July 20 that brought the Capital to a halt and ultimately led to the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday.

In the evening, officials said that after discussions with speaker Om Birla, all major political parties agreed to discuss the bill starting Tuesday, HT reported earlier.

“During the proceedings, speaker Om Birla urged all parties to recognise that the issue concerns millions of students and youths across the country, as well as the integrity and transparency of competitive examinations. Therefore, a comprehensive and meaningful discussion on the matter was deemed appropriate,” said an official, requesting anonymity.

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla allotted six hours for the debate and the Opposition already submitted 93 amendments to the bill, setting the stage for a fiery debate against the backdrop of the student protests that forced Pradhan’s ouster. The former minister walked into Parliament on Monday with a smile to a rousing welcome by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and sloganeering in his favour, drawing criticism from the Congress.

Parliament monsoon session LIVE: The Parliament is set to take up a debate on the new tougher paper leak bill – Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill – on Tuesday, as the BJP government at the Centre continues to face intense backlash over the NEET leak controversy. A stringent bill, which hikes fines and punishment for those convicted of examination paper leaks, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday amid protests by the Opposition that sought to corner the government over police violence during the recent student protests.