LIVE: LS discusses anti-paper leak Bill; CJP warns of fresh protest
The NEET paper leak controversy dominated Lok Sabha proceedings on Tuesday, with Opposition leaders targeting the government during the debate on the anti-paper leak Bill
Ending a week-long logjam, the Lok Sabha on Tuesday (July 28) began a discussion on the anti-paper leak Bill, with Union minister Jitendra Singh describing it as a reaffirmation of the government's commitment to safeguard the welfare of students and the youth.
Speaking on the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, the minister of state in the PMO said the Modi government finished an unaccomplished task to bring a law to prevent examination malpractices in 2024.
Also read: How India's new anti-paper leak law can improve its exam structure
"Incidents of paper leaks have taken place in various states ruled by different parties... The anti-paper leak bill is a reaffirmation of the government's commitment to safeguard the welfare of students and youth. The amendment... (is being) brought to make the law more stringent," Singh said.
The Opposition has been raking up the NEET paper leak issue since the Monsoon session began on July 20. As a result, no legislative business could be taken up in Lok Sabha until Monday, except for the introduction of two bills.
Singh introduced the Bill on Monday, days after student protests over the NEET fiasco led to Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as education minister. The legislation provides for stricter punishment of up to 10 years in jail and a heftier fine of Rs 50 lakh for paper leaks.
Meanwhile, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Tuesday warned of launching a fresh nationwide agitation if the government failed to honour its commitment to withdraw FIRs against protesters and prevent any punitive action, alleging that the Supreme Court's recent interim order could be used to target students.
Scroll below for Live updates.
Live Updates
- 28 July 2026 7:14 PM IST
SC to hear pleas on pellet firing on Aug 3
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear pleas filed by a former IPS officer and two persons, who claimed to have been injured by pellet guns fired during the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)-led students' protest on NEET paper leaks.
The plea was mentioned before the bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, who said the court would take up the matter along with other petitions arising out of the protests on August 3.
The petition filed by Yashovardhan Azad, Prashant Kumar and Sheikh Irshad Mansoori through advocate Vrinda Grover sought direction for decommissioning or banning the use of wholly or partly metallic kinetic projectiles/ pellets fired from pump action rifles or projectile action guns (PAG) for crowd dispersal of civilian assemblies by law enforcement agencies and other connected reliefs. - 28 July 2026 7:13 PM IST
Delhi Police holds high-level meet over RAF pellet firing
A high-level meeting was held at the Delhi Police headquarters on Tuesday to discuss a general diary (GD) entry made at Parliament Street police station regarding the use of non-lethal munitions, including plastic pellets, by the Rapid Action Force (RAF) during the July 20 ‘Chalo Sansad’ protest.
The meeting, attended by senior Delhi Police officers, focused on the circumstances surrounding the GD entry recorded on July 22 at 1.24 pm and the mention of the presence of a senior Delhi Police officer in Zone-1 near Jantar Mantar when the force was allegedly used.
The officer whose presence was recorded in the GD entry has reportedly denied being at the spot where the pellet rounds were fired, maintaining that he was nearly half a kilometre away from the location during the incident.
Senior officers also reportedly discussed why the GD entry relating to an incident that took place on July 20 was recorded two days later, and that too in the afternoon.
According to official police records, the GD entry was made on July 22 based on information provided by a Deputy Commandant-rank RAF officer. The entry stated that RAF personnel deployed in Zone-1 alongside a Deputy Commissioner of Police-rank Delhi Police officer fired multiple non-lethal munitions on July 20 after receiving permission from the senior police officer.
According to the record, the RAF fired 55 non-electrical shells, 15 electrical shells, five tear smoke grenades, two rounds from anti-riot guns and two rounds of plastic pellets while controlling the mob.
- 28 July 2026 6:38 PM IST
BJP puts a man who is a defender of rapists; that is the filthiest type of man: Rahul
“As the Education Minister of India, the BJP puts a man who is a defender of rapists. That is the filthiest type of man. There can be no filthier man than somebody who says that rapists need protection. That is the Education Minister of India today. It's a strange reaction from the PM. There are so many people in his Cabinet; he could have chosen any one of them. But he chooses a person who protects rapists,” says Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi. - 28 July 2026 6:22 PM IST
Come up with real reform: Sule
Sule says, “The government must set up an inquiry, set up an SIT, and find out who gave those orders against our children. Look at those visuals. They are horrific. How were our kids brutalised? Form an inquiry and find out who gave these orders? If you really want to change the education system, form a JPC and take all our views, hold extensive discussions, and come up with real reform.” - 28 July 2026 6:21 PM IST
Sule slams Joshi: 'You are now the education minister, lead by education'
NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule slams Pralhad Joshi for pleading with the Chair to give BJP MP Tejasvi Surya 5 extra minutes to finish his speech. Sule says she has never seen a Cabinet minister beg this way for extra time for a speaker from his party.
“Twenty-one kids have taken their lives in this country because of paper leaks and what are we discussing? Is this how a Cabinet minister should behave? Have some dignity. You are now the education minister. Lead by education. You think this is the Karnataka Assembly? Behave responsibly,” says Sule in a rare instance of losing her cool in Parliament. - 28 July 2026 6:00 PM IST
Priyanka Gandhi says she will authenticate her remarkson Pralhad Joshi
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday said the government's position on women's rights sent conflicting signals, citing her remarks about Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi during the Lok Sabha debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill.
She said that while the government spoke about women's reservation and women-led development, its actions conveyed "a very wrong message."
Responding to demands from Treasury bench members that she substantiate her allegation, Priyanka said she would authenticate her remarks through the prescribed parliamentary procedure. She added that she would submit all supporting material, including a video from the relevant period, to back her statement.
- 28 July 2026 5:54 PM IST
Tejasvi Surya mocks Rahul Gandhi over PM residence protest
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Tuesday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for protesting outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence over the examination paper leak issue, accusing the Congress of joining the agitation only after it had gained public attention.
Participating in the Lok Sabha debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, Surya said, "You had FOMO that the CJP protest was getting all the attention. You went ahead and staged a protest outside PM Modi's residence."
He also questioned the Congress over its record in Rajasthan, asking, "Where were you when the Rajasthan Eligibility Entrance Test (REET) paper leak during Congress government?" reported India Today.
- 28 July 2026 5:46 PM IST
Rahul Gandhi questions PM's choice of Education Minister
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi during the Lok Sabha debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, questioning his suitability for the post.
Rahul alleged that the minister had defended those convicted in a rape case and said such a person should not be heading the education ministry.
Questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's choice, Rahul said there were several ministers in the government who could have been appointed instead. He described the Prime Minister's decision to entrust the education portfolio to Joshi as "quite amazing" and said it raised serious concerns, reported India Today.
- 28 July 2026 5:27 PM IST
Priyanka Gandhi says PM should listen beyond RSS
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday said the government must engage with a wider range of voices while responding to concerns over examination reforms and student protests.
Participating in the Lok Sabha debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, Priyanka said, "The PM will have to take responsibility. He will have to hold extensive discussion with people of all views and ideologies, not just with the RSS."
She said the concerns raised by students could not be ignored. "Students can be evicted from the roads, their questions can't be. The youth want justice, not alms."
Stepping up her criticism of the government, Priyanka added, "I want to tell the govt, get rid of arrogance, engage with the youth."
Concluding her speech, she said, "We have seen vote chori in elections, zameen chori of kisans, chanda chori in temples, but the biggest theft is the theft of the future and the dreams of our youth."
- 28 July 2026 5:24 PM IST
Priyanka Gandhi says Govt targets protesters, not culprits
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday accused the government of acting more swiftly against student protesters than against those responsible for examination paper leaks, during the Lok Sabha debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill.
Speaking in the House, Priyanka said, "Since yesterday, names of those protestors recognised using face recognition are being made public, but till date names of those responsible for paper leaks have not been made public and no convictions have happened in a single case of paper leak."
She also criticised the composition of the government's high-level committee on examination reforms, saying, "The high-level committee formed by the govt has a former IB chief and a gau mutr (cow urine) expert. What do they know about education?"
Targeting the Prime Minister, Priyanka said blaming the Opposition would not address the issue. "Blaming the Opposition in Parliament won't work. Making videos with new angles won't work. The PM doesn't need to change the angle of his camera but his heart," she said.
