Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government will pass the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 [1], regardless of opposition boycotts.
The standoff highlights a deepening divide in the Rajya Sabha over how to handle systemic exam fraud and the specific fallout from NEET paper leaks. If the government pushes the legislation through without a formal debate, it may further alienate opposition parties and fuel claims that the legislative process is being bypassed.
Speaking Monday during the Monsoon Session of Parliament in New Delhi, Rijiju said the Congress party is unwilling to cooperate with the legislative process. The tension follows protests by Congress MPs who are boycotting debates over the NEET paper-leak issue. While opposition members demand a dedicated discussion on the matter, the government has stated that the issue has already been addressed.
Rijiju said he was disappointed in the leadership of the opposition. "Senior leaders like Kharge-ji are present here. I had high hopes this morning that Kharge ji would at least counsel his Congress MPs," Rijiju said.
The minister said the government would not allow the boycott to stall the amendment bill. The legislation aims to prevent unfair means in public examinations to ensure the integrity of national tests.
"We will pass the Public Examinations Bill without discussion if Opposition refuses to participate," Rijiju said.
The deadlock occurred as the Speaker worked to end the stalemate in the house. Despite the friction, the government intends to move forward with the 2026 [1] bill to address the vulnerabilities in the examination system that led to the recent controversies.
“"We will pass the Public Examinations Bill without discussion if Opposition refuses to participate."”
The government's decision to proceed with the Public Examinations Amendment Bill without opposition consensus signals a priority on rapid legislative action over parliamentary deliberation. By bypassing the Congress party's demands for further NEET-related discussions, the administration is leveraging its majority to secure a legal framework against exam fraud, even at the risk of increasing political polarization within the Rajya Sabha.
