2026 Amendment
steeper penalties and fast-track courts
The amendment substantially raises penalties across every category of offender under the 2024 Act and introduces a dedicated fast-track judicial mechanism, reflecting a policy shift toward stronger deterrence and faster prosecution of exam-fraud cases.
- Individual offenders: minimum imprisonment raised from 3 to 5 years (maximum extendable to 10 years), and the maximum fine raised from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh.
- Organised examination fraud: minimum imprisonment raised from 5 to 7 years, and the minimum fine raised from Rs 1 crore to Rs 10 crore.
- Examination service providers: maximum fine raised from Rs 1 crore to Rs 5 crore, and debarment from conducting public examinations extended from 4 to 8 years.
- Every state government and Union Territory administration must set up Special Fast Track Courts for day-to-day trial of these offences; investigations must be completed within two months, and trials within three months of chargesheet filing, with appeals lying before a two-judge High Court bench.
● Tracked since March 25, 2026 · last seen August 29, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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