New Delhi, July 27:Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday said the government would proceed with the passage of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, even if the Opposition refuses to participate in the debate.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Rijiju said the government was prepared for an eight-hour discussion on the legislation but would not allow the Bill to be stalled. “If the Opposition parties do not want to discuss the Examination Reforms Bill, the government will get the Bill passed without discussion,” he said.

Following his remarks, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla urged all political parties to hold consultations to ensure the discussion on the Bill could begin at 5 pm.

The BJP-led NDA has already submitted a list of speakers to the Speaker for the debate. Around 12 leaders, including Bansuri Swaraj, Tejasvi Surya, Anurag Thakur, Shrikant Shinde, Shashank Mani Tripathi, Arun Bharti, Alok Suman, Anupriya Patel and Sayali Ghosh, are expected to participate.

The Bill, introduced by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, aims to strengthen the legal framework against unfair practices in public examinations, particularly paper leaks.

However, the Congress and several Opposition parties have opposed taking up the Bill for immediate discussion. They have demanded that it be referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee or a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed scrutiny.

The Congress has also insisted that Union Home Minister Amit Shah first make a statement in the Lok Sabha regarding the alleged assault on students before any debate on the Bill begins.

Congress MP Tariq Anwar said the party believes the government should apologise for its handling of students. “Rahul Gandhi has reiterated that the Prime Minister and the government should apologise for the way students were treated. There is widespread anger among the people. The government is trying to suppress students, and questions must be answered over how the police resorted to firing,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Rijiju defended the proposed legislation, saying it was introduced in response to growing concerns over repeated examination paper leaks and other malpractices.

Addressing a press conference, he appealed to the Opposition to engage in a constructive debate instead of disrupting Parliament.

“The Bill has been brought in keeping in mind the concerns of students across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already announced major examination reforms, including the formation of a high-powered task force. This legislation is another significant step to ensure paper leaks do not recur,” Rijiju said.

He added that the Bill provides for stringent and time-bound punishment for individuals involved in examination paper leaks and other unfair practices.

“If discussion is prevented despite these reform measures, it will send a wrong message to students and the country,” the minister said.