UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Dr. Jitendra Singh Tables Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in Rajya Sabha

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 and its parent Act: 1. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 27 July 2026 and was passed by that House two days later. 2. The Bill completed its passage through both Houses of Parliament within a week of its introduction, the Rajya Sabha passing it on 30 July 2026. 3. Unlike the Amendment Bill, the parent Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 was brought into force on the very date of its enactment in February 2024. 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 two days later.
  2. The Bill completed its passage through both Houses of Parliament within a week of its introduction, the Rajya Sabha passing it on 30 July 2026.
  3. Unlike the Amendment Bill, the parent Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 was brought into force on the very date of its enactment in February 2024.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. With reference to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 as passed by Parliament, consider the following: 1. Designation of a Court of Session in every State and Union Territory as a Special Fast Track Court to try offences under the Act. 2. Appointment by every State and Union Territory of one or more Special Public Prosecutors for each Special Fast Track Court. 3. Empowering the Central Government to constitute a special task force for investigation of offences under the Act. 4. Making every offence under the Act compoundable, so that proceedings may be settled between the parties in all cases. Which of the above is/are correctly identified as provisions introduced by the Amendment Bill?

  1. Designation of a Court of Session in every State and Union Territory as a Special Fast Track Court to try offences under the Act.
  2. Appointment by every State and Union Territory of one or more Special Public Prosecutors for each Special Fast Track Court.
  3. Empowering the Central Government to constitute a special task force for investigation of offences under the Act.
  4. Making every offence under the Act compoundable, so that proceedings may be settled between the parties in all cases.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q3. The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 specifies a defined list of acts that constitute 'unfair means'. How many such categories of acts does the Act specify?

  • A. Three
  • B. Five
  • C. Seven
  • D. Nine

Q4. With reference to the enforcement machinery under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which one of the following statements is correct?

  • A. Offences under the Act are to be investigated by an officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police or Assistant Commissioner of Police
  • B. Offences under the Act are investigated exclusively by the Central Bureau of Investigation, irrespective of the State in which they are committed
  • C. Every offence under the Act is bailable and compoundable, and is triable by any Judicial Magistrate of the first class
  • D. The National Testing Agency is empowered to investigate and prosecute all offences arising in the examinations conducted by it

Q5. Dr. Jitendra Singh, who piloted the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 through Parliament, holds Independent Charge of which one of the following?

  • A. The Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Earth Sciences
  • B. The Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
  • C. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, and the Department of Space
  • D. The Department of Atomic Energy, and the Prime Minister's Office

Q6. Consider the following statements about the charges held by Dr. Jitendra Singh in the Union Council of Ministers: 1. He holds the Ministry of Earth Sciences as Minister of State (Independent Charge). 2. He holds the Department of Space as Minister of State (Independent Charge), whereas the Department of Atomic Energy is held by him only as Minister of State. 3. He is a Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office as well as in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. He holds the Ministry of Earth Sciences as Minister of State (Independent Charge).
  2. He holds the Department of Space as Minister of State (Independent Charge), whereas the Department of Atomic Energy is held by him only as Minister of State.
  3. He is a Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office as well as in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q7. With reference to the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination held after the cancellation of the original test, consider the following: 1. It was scheduled and held on 21 June 2026. 2. It was conducted at over 5,400 examination centres spread across 550 cities in the country. 3. The paper-leak allegations behind the cancellation were probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which arrested the alleged kingpin of the case. 4. The re-examination was conducted in computer-based test mode, replacing the optical mark recognition format used earlier. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. It was scheduled and held on 21 June 2026.
  2. It was conducted at over 5,400 examination centres spread across 550 cities in the country.
  3. The paper-leak allegations behind the cancellation were probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which arrested the alleged kingpin of the case.
  4. The re-examination was conducted in computer-based test mode, replacing the optical mark recognition format used earlier.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q8. With reference to NEET-UG 2026 and its aftermath, consider the following statements: 1. The cancellation and re-conduct of NEET-UG 2026 following alleged paper leaks was cited as the immediate context for the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. 2. Those arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the paper-leak case included a doctor from Latur and a faculty member of a coaching institute from Pune. 3. NEET-UG is conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences. 4. Counselling for NEET-UG 2026 admissions is overseen at the Union level by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The cancellation and re-conduct of NEET-UG 2026 following alleged paper leaks was cited as the immediate context for the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026.
  2. Those arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the paper-leak case included a doctor from Latur and a faculty member of a coaching institute from Pune.
  3. NEET-UG is conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences.
  4. Counselling for NEET-UG 2026 admissions is overseen at the Union level by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 3 and 4

Q9. Under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, Special Fast Track Courts for the trial of offences under the Act are to be set up in which one of the following ways?

  • A. Every State and Union Territory shall designate a Court of Session as a Special Fast Track Court
  • B. The Central Government shall establish one such court in each State in consultation with the National Testing Agency
  • C. Each High Court shall designate a Bench of two of its judges as such a court for the State concerned
  • D. The Department of Justice shall notify a court of Judicial Magistrate of the first class in each district for this purpose

Q10. Under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, an enhanced maximum fine of ₹5 crore coupled with debarment for eight years from conducting public examinations is prescribed for which one of the following?

  • A. A service provider engaged by a public examination authority for conduct of the examination
  • B. A candidate found guilty of resorting to unfair means in a public examination
  • C. An official of a public examination authority who leaks the question paper or answer key
  • D. An institution held guilty of committing an organised crime in relation to a public examination

Q11. Apart from Ministries and Departments of the Central Government (together with their attached and subordinate offices) and such other authorities as may be notified later, how many examination-conducting bodies are expressly named as public examination authorities under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024?

  • A. Three
  • B. Five
  • C. Eight
  • D. Eleven