Public exams gateways to opportunities, govt taking steps to curb unfair means: Murmu on I-Day eve

President Murmu said the government is taking steps to curb exam cheating while highlighting youth opportunities, Operation Sindoor and the Indus Waters Treaty.

Public Examinations and Opportunities

Public examinations are “gateways to the opportunities” available to students, and the government is undertaking “comprehensive steps” to curb unfair practices and make the system more transparent, secure and trustworthy, President Droupadi Murmu said on Friday, as she highlighted the opportunities opening up for India’s youth and outlined the country’s progress in her address to the nation on the eve of the 80th Independence Day.

President Murmu highlighted India’s exam reforms, youth opportunities and national security, praising Operation Sindoor and the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. (RB Photo)

Addressing the nation, Murmu said 65% of India’s population is below the age of 35, describing the country’s youth as its “most valuable asset” and highlighting their role in entrepreneurship, space research, innovation and job creation.

“Our students are the architects of India’s future. Just as the government and society must remain united to ensure national security, everyone must contribute through joint and concerted efforts to safeguard the present and future of our students,” she said. “Public examinations become gateways to the opportunities for our students. The Government is undertaking comprehensive steps to reform these examinations. The objectives of these reforms are to completely curb the use of unfair means in public examinations, make the examination system more transparent, more secure, and more trustworthy for the youth.”

Following student protests over the NEET-UG paper leak, the Centre amended the 2024 anti-cheating law, enacting the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Act, 2026, which came into force on July 31. It provides tougher penalties, including up to 10 years’ imprisonment and ₹50 lakh fine for individual offenders, and up to ₹10 crore for organised syndicates. It also includes provisions for Special Fast Track Courts to ensure speedy, day-to-day trials of exam malpractice cases, with investigations mandated to be completed within two months. The government has also formed a high-powered exam-reforms task force chaired by Nandan Nilekani to formulate comprehensive, tech-driven, and leak-proof exam-reforms recommendations to restore systemic transparency and public trust.

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