The Congress party has lined up several of its senior leaders, including Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K.C. Venugopal and Gaurav Gogoi, to participate in the Lok Sabha debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. The six-hour discussion on the anti-paper leak legislation is expected to be one of the most significant debates of the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.
While expressing support for stronger laws to curb examination paper leaks and safeguard the integrity of public examinations, the Congress and other INDIA bloc parties have maintained that the government must also respond to concerns over the alleged police action against students protesting examination irregularities. Opposition leaders have demanded an explanation over reports of excessive force, including the alleged use of pellet guns, lathi-charge and other measures against demonstrators.
According to INDIA bloc sources, Rahul Gandhi is expected to lead the Congress' intervention during the debate, focusing not only on provisions of the proposed legislation but also on the government's handling of student protests. The Opposition has repeatedly asserted that while it welcomes reforms to prevent paper leaks, accountability is equally necessary for the treatment of students who took to the streets demanding transparency and justice.
The controversy follows days of protests by students over alleged examination paper leaks and recruitment irregularities. Congress MPs have staged demonstrations inside the Parliament complex, demanding an apology from Union Home Minister Amit Shah and seeking a discussion on what they describe as police excesses during the protests. Rahul Gandhi has also written to the Home Minister, alleging that peaceful protesters were subjected to "barbaric assault" and asking whether the use of pellet guns and other forceful measures had official approval.
The government, meanwhile, has urged the Opposition to participate constructively in the debate, stating that the amendment bill is aimed at strengthening the examination system through stricter punishments, faster investigations and special courts to deal with paper leak cases. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has appealed to all parties to allow a meaningful discussion on the legislation.
With both the government and the Opposition preparing for an intense exchange in the Lok Sabha, the debate is expected to focus not only on preventing examination fraud but also on broader questions of accountability, student rights and the government's response to recent nationwide protests.
