The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Monday attacked  the Centre over its handling of examination-related issues, alleging that action against protesting students reflected the government’s disregard for public sentiment. The party also questioned whether stricter laws alone could curb paper leaks without systemic reforms.Talking to reporters, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the government of targeting students and youth by filing cases against them in several places. He said the government should not challenge “public consciousness,” adding that growing public awareness had itself become a challenge for the ruling establishment.Referring to the Opposition’s response to the issue, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said, “Leaders of all political parties will sit together and decide the next course of action”.Meanwhile, senior SP leader Ramgopal Yadav questioned whether the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 and the Centre’s decision to constitute a high-powered task force on examination reforms under the leadership of Nandan Nilekani would, alone, eliminate paper leaks.“Paper leaks occur either where the question paper is drafted, where it is printed, or at some other critical stage. Coaching centres with extensive reach often have inside arrangements—that is where the leaks originate. No matter how many laws you enact, these irregularities began once the process went digital; such things did not happen before the digital era. Leaking or hacking have become very easy,” he said.Another senior SP leader, Awadhesh Prasad, said the Bill had come too late.He said, “It should have happened earlier. Prevention is better that cure. Had such a law been in place earlier, many youths who died by suicide might have been saved. Students protested at Jantar Mantar, many were hit, Akhilesh Yadav was detained, the Leader of Opposition was detained. If the legislation had come earlier, such incidents might not have happened.”The government will introduce the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha. Union Minister Jitendra Singh will introduce the Bill.