The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday backed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha, but attacked the Centre over its handling of the NEET paper leak controversy, asserting that students need accountability, not assurances.Participating in the discussion, TMC member Abhishek Banerjee said, “Every student deserves the assurance that examinations will be fair. Every parent deserves the confidence that success is determined by hard work, talent and integrity, not by money, influence or organised criminal syndicates. But support for this Bill cannot be a substitute for accountability. A stronger law is necessary.”As Banerjee spoke, the House witnessed noisy interruptions, prompting party MP Mahua Moitra to urge presiding officer Dilip Saikia to restore order. Despite the disruptions, Banerjee maintained, “We support this bill, but it cannot be a certificate of innocence for the government.”“We support this bill, but that support cannot be a substitute for accountability,” he said, adding that the amendment was “not a solution, but an admission” of the government’s failure to safeguard examinations, students and merit.Criticising the Centre, the TMC leader alleged that the government responds to administrative failures by bringing stricter laws instead of improving governance. “Whenever governance fails, they change the law. Whenever administration collapses, they increase punishment. Governance is measured by outcomes, and the outcome today is paper leak after paper leak, exam cancellation after exam cancellation,” he said.Expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s response to the NEET-UG re-examination, Banerjee questioned the need for extraordinary measures such as deploying Indian Air Force planes and helicopters to transport question papers across the country. “The problem is not the question papers; it is the government’s inability to secure the system,” he said.Presenting what he described as a record of major examination scandals over the past 12 years, Banerjee cited alleged paper leaks in CBSE board exams, AIPMT, SSC CGL, Army recruitment, JEE Main, UGC-NET, Rajasthan REET, Telangana Public Service Commission recruitment and NEET-UG. He claimed that despite multiple investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED), there had been no convictions in these cases.He further criticised the government for informing Parliament that it does not maintain consolidated data on examination paper leaks.Banerjee said the amendment itself demonstrated the shortcomings of the original law enacted just two years ago.“If implementation fails, increasing punishment alone cannot solve the problem. A weak investigation does not become stronger simply because the sentence becomes harsher,” he said.Calling merit, the “highest form of patriotism”, Banerjee said India’s youth were not demanding sympathy but certainty that years of honest preparation would not be undermined by corruption.Banerjee also questioned the government’s commitment to fast-track justice in the NEET paper leak case, claiming that the first hearing had to be adjourned because CBI’s counsel failed to appear in court on time.“You can create ten fast-track courts, but if investigators are absent, prosecutors are unprepared and accountability is missing, justice will continue to be delayed,” he said.