New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday said stricter punishment alone would not prevent examination paper leaks, asserting that India needs a robust examination system capable of preventing such breaches rather than merely penalising offenders after the event.

Participating in a discussion on the Bill seeking to enhance penalties for examination paper leaks, Tharoor said the focus should be on reforming the examination process instead of engaging in a political debate over which party witnessed more such incidents during its tenure.

"BJP members referred to paper leaks that occurred during the previous Congress government. The real issue is not under whose rule more leaks took place, but how to fix a system that has become vulnerable," he said.

The Thiruvananthapuram MP said those responsible for leaking question papers and "selling the dreams of students" deserved stringent punishment, including imprisonment and heavy fines. However, he argued that punitive measures come into effect only after the offence has been committed.

"What the country needs is a mechanism that prevents paper leaks from occurring in the first place, not merely one that punishes those responsible after the damage has been done," he said.

Tharoor also expressed concern over the burden on the judicial system, saying fast-track courts across the country were already under considerable pressure.

He said the proposed legal framework would be effective only if accompanied by additional judges, courtrooms and public prosecutors to ensure speedy disposal of cases.