UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Parliament passes paper leak Bill as Opposition walks out of Rajya Sabha

Q1. Under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which one of the following categories of offenders attracts the highest minimum term of imprisonment?

  • A. A person who resorts to unfair means in a public examination, for whom the term begins at five years
  • B. A director or other senior management person of a service provider who consents to the offence, for whom the term begins at five years
  • C. Persons committing an organised paper-leak offence in collusion, for whom the term begins at seven years
  • D. A service provider that fails to report a suspected offence to the police, for whom the term begins at seven years

Q2. Consider the following statements about the changes made by the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 to the parent Act of 2024: 1. The maximum fine on an individual resorting to unfair means has been raised from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh. 2. The period for which an errant service provider can be barred from conducting any public examination has been extended from four years to eight years. 3. The maximum fine imposable on a service provider has been raised from ₹1 crore to ₹10 crore. 4. The minimum imprisonment for an organised examination crime has been raised from five years to ten years. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The maximum fine on an individual resorting to unfair means has been raised from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh.
  2. The period for which an errant service provider can be barred from conducting any public examination has been extended from four years to eight years.
  3. The maximum fine imposable on a service provider has been raised from ₹1 crore to ₹10 crore.
  4. The minimum imprisonment for an organised examination crime has been raised from five years to ten years.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 2 and 3
  • C. 3 and 4
  • D. 1 and 4

Q3. Under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, what is the lowest rank of police officer competent to investigate an offence under the Act?

  • A. Deputy Superintendent of Police or Assistant Commissioner of Police
  • B. Inspector of Police or officer in charge of the police station concerned
  • C. Superintendent of Police or Deputy Commissioner of Police
  • D. Sub-Inspector of Police authorised by the district magistrate

Q4. Consider the following statements regarding the passage of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 through the two Houses of Parliament: 1. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 27 July 2026 and was passed by that House on 29 July 2026. 2. The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on 30 July 2026, a day after the Lok Sabha had cleared it. 3. Because the Bill dealt with fines that are ultimately payable into the Consolidated Fund of India, it was certified as a Money Bill, and the Rajya Sabha could therefore only make recommendations which the Lok Sabha was entirely free to reject. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 27 July 2026 and was passed by that House on 29 July 2026.
  2. The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on 30 July 2026, a day after the Lok Sabha had cleared it.
  3. Because the Bill dealt with fines that are ultimately payable into the Consolidated Fund of India, it was certified as a Money Bill, and the Rajya Sabha could therefore only make recommendations which the Lok Sabha was entirely free to reject.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q5. The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 was cleared by the Lok Sabha on 29 July 2026 'by voice vote'. Which one of the following correctly describes this method of taking a decision in the House?

  • A. Members present signify assent or dissent orally, and the presiding officer declares the result from the volume of response without any individual member's vote being recorded
  • B. Members record their votes by pressing buttons on the automatic vote recorder at their seats, and the individual result is displayed and printed for the record
  • C. Members supporting and opposing the motion walk through separate lobbies and are counted there by tellers appointed for the purpose by the presiding officer
  • D. Members answer orally one by one as the Secretary-General calls out their names, and each member's answer is entered against that name in the register

Q6. Consider the following statements relating to the piloting and administration of the anti-paper-leak legislation: 1. Dr. Jitendra Singh, who introduced the 2026 Amendment Bill, is a Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office and also holds Independent Charge of the Ministry of Science and Technology. 2. Recruitment examinations conducted by central government ministries and departments and their attached offices are within the ambit of the parent Act. 3. The power to refer an investigation under the amended law to a Special Task Force vests in the central government. 4. Special Public Prosecutors for the Special Fast Track Courts are to be appointed by the Union Public Service Commission. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Dr. Jitendra Singh, who introduced the 2026 Amendment Bill, is a Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office and also holds Independent Charge of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
  2. Recruitment examinations conducted by central government ministries and departments and their attached offices are within the ambit of the parent Act.
  3. The power to refer an investigation under the amended law to a Special Task Force vests in the central government.
  4. Special Public Prosecutors for the Special Fast Track Courts are to be appointed by the Union Public Service Commission.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q7. Which one of the following ministries is responsible for administering the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 and piloted its 2026 amendment in Parliament?

  • A. The Ministry of Education, through its Department of Higher Education which oversees entrance examinations
  • B. The Ministry of Home Affairs, through the police and central investigating agencies that probe leak rackets
  • C. The Ministry of Law and Justice, through the Department of Legal Affairs which frames penal legislation
  • D. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, which handles central recruitment policy

Q8. The alleged irregularities in the NEET (UG) examination held on 5 May 2024 were handed over for comprehensive investigation to which one of the following agencies?

  • A. The Central Bureau of Investigation, to which the Ministry of Education referred the matter
  • B. The National Investigation Agency, which alone can investigate offences affecting nationwide examinations
  • C. The Enforcement Directorate, which is the sole agency competent to trace all proceeds of examination fraud
  • D. The Central Vigilance Commission, which necessarily investigates every complaint against a central autonomous body