The impasse in the Lok Sabha over the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, is expected to end on Tuesday after Speaker Om Birla secured consensus of leaders from all political parties to take up the proposed legislation for discussion.Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh introduced the Bill in the Lok Sabha on Monday.However, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day on Monday without taking up the Bill, as Opposition members continued protests demanding the government’s response to the use of brute force by the Delhi Police against students during the July 20 march to Parliament.Birla had asked the government and the Opposition to resolve their differences before 5 pm so the debate could begin. He said six hours had been allocated for discussion.Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accused the Congress of refusing to participate in the debate despite repeatedly demanding a discussion on the NEET paper leak. Addressing Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Rijiju said the government had expected senior Congress leaders to ensure their MPs joined the discussion on a Bill that directly concerns the future of students.Rijiju said, “All members have come prepared. Several members from the Opposition have also submitted amendments; they, too, are well-prepared. This is an important Bill, one that is vital for the lives of children, youth and students… Yet, the Congress and some of its allies are deliberately preventing a discussion on such an important Bill… Initially, they were insisting that a discussion should take place, pointing out that the matter concerns examinations and the welfare of children.”Meanwhile, Kharge attacked the government over the police action on protesting students. He accused the Centre of suppressing the youth and said if it was incapable of conducting examinations properly, it should “vacate the throne” and let others govern. He said the present dispensation was “not fit to remain in power”.The BJP is set to put its young Turks at the forefront, with MP Bansuri Swaraj and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya among the opening speakers in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.The Bill seeks to further strengthen the provisions of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, by providing speedy investigation and trial through special fast-track courts, appointment of special public prosecutors, time-bound disposal of appeals and more stringent penal provisions to effectively deter unfair means and organised examination malpractices.The Bill proposes to enhance the punishment for persons resorting to unfair means by increasing the term of imprisonment to not less than five years, extendable up to 10 years, as against the existing provision of imprisonment for a term of not less than three years, extendable up to five years. The maximum fine is also proposed to be enhanced from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh.For service providers found involved in offences under the Act, the Bill proposes to increase the maximum fine from Rs 1 crore to Rs 5 crore and extend the period of debarment from conducting any public examination from four years to eight years. To deal more effectively with organised examination-related crimes, it proposes increasing the minimum term of imprisonment from five years to seven years, extendable up to 10 years, while enhancing the maximum fine from Rs 1 crore to Rs 10 crore. It further empowers the Centre to refer the investigation of offences under the Act to a special task force constituted for the purpose.