Both Houses of Parliament witnessed repeated adjournments on Monday after opposition parties protested alleged police action against students during NEET-related demonstrations. Amid the disruption, the government introduced the Public Examinations Amendment Bill 2026 in the Lok Sabha, seeking tougher punishment for examination malpractice.
Lok Sabha Sees Multiple Adjournments Over NEET Issue
The Lok Sabha met at 11 AM, with Speaker Om Birla first congratulating India’s Commonwealth Games medallists, including Mirabai Chanu and para-powerlifter Jhandu Kumar, before proceedings began. When Question Hour started, opposition members raised the NEET protest issue instead, prompting Birla to insist no other matters would be entertained during that slot.
He cautioned that some members’ conduct had failed to meet the House’s standards of decorum and warned of possible action if the behaviour continued. As sloganeering persisted, the House was adjourned until 12 noon.
Public Examinations Amendment Bill 2026 Introduced Amid Protests
When the House reconvened, Dr Jitendra Singh introduced the Public Examinations Amendment Bill 2026, which proposes amending the 2024 Act with stricter penalties, including up to ten years’ imprisonment, fines reaching ten crore rupees, and property seizure for convicted offenders. The bill also mandates Special Fast Track Courts in every state and Union Territory, requiring investigations to conclude within two months and trials within three months of chargesheet filing.
Despite the bill’s introduction, opposition members continued demanding withdrawal of FIRs filed against protesting students, forcing another adjournment until 2 PM.
Speaker Appeals for Discussion as Deadlock Continues
At 2 PM, Birla again urged members to engage substantively, noting that 91 amendment notices had been received, reflecting the range of views on the legislation. He called the bill central to the aspirations of the country’s youth and said sloganeering could not substitute for genuine deliberation, adding that the allotted six-hour debate window could be extended if needed. The opposition remained unmoved, leading to a further adjournment until 5 PM.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said sufficient time had been earmarked for discussion and argued the volume of amendment notices showed members wanted to engage with the bill’s substance. He said obstructing debate on such a significant law sent the wrong signal to India’s youth. When the House met again at 5 PM, the disruption showed no signs of easing, and the sitting was adjourned for the day until 11 AM the following morning.
Rajya Sabha Faces Parallel Disruption
The Rajya Sabha saw a similar pattern through the day. Proceedings opened with papers being tabled, including the Standing Committee report on Chemical and Fertiliser, before Chairman C P Radhakrishnan allowed Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to seek discussion under Rule 267 on the alleged police action against students. The House was adjourned till noon amid the resulting uproar.
Subsequent sittings saw Minister of State Nityanand Rai move the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Amendment Bill 2026, which seeks to extend statutory protection to Vande Mataram on par with the national anthem. Opposition members, however, kept the focus on the NEET issue, trooping into the well at one point. Deputy Chairman Harivansh made repeated appeals for order across adjournments at 3 PM and 5.15 PM.
Rijiju later accused the Congress of publicly claiming it was denied a voice in Parliament while declining to participate when offered the floor, adding that the Prime Minister had taken a firm stance on the matter. With disruptions continuing, the Rajya Sabha was also adjourned for the day until 11 AM on Tuesday.
Conclusion
The day’s proceedings underscored a familiar standoff between the treasury and opposition benches, with substantive legislative business on examination reforms and national symbols overshadowed by unresolved tensions over the NEET protests. Both Houses are set to resume discussions the following morning.
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