Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked members of his Cabinet to become more active on Instagram and make greater use of the platform to communicate with India's youth, according to sources.

During a Cabinet meeting on Friday, Modi reportedly asked ministers about their presence on social media platforms such as Instagram. He pointed out that a significant number of young Indians regularly use the platform and said ministers should find more effective ways to engage with this audience.

The Prime Minister is understood to have told ministers that social media should not be limited to posting routine announcements about government schemes and programmes. Instead, he encouraged them to communicate directly with young people through content that is relatable, accessible and interactive.

Ministers were also urged to explore formats such as short videos and reels to reach younger audiences more effectively.

The discussion took place alongside a Cabinet meeting that cleared several important proposals, including legislation aimed at imposing tougher penalties for examination paper leaks.

According to official sources, the Union Cabinet approved amendments to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. The proposed changes seek to substantially increase punishment for individuals and organised groups involved in leaking examination papers.

Under the proposed framework, those involved in paper leaks could face a minimum five-year prison sentence. Organised examination fraud networks could attract imprisonment of up to 10 years along with a fine that may extend to Rs 1 crore, according to PTI.

The proposed legislation is expected to be introduced in Parliament on Monday. It aims to strengthen safeguards against organised examination malpractice while ensuring that genuine candidates are not affected.

The law would cover a wide range of public recruitment and entrance examinations, including tests conducted by bodies such as the UPSC and SSC, as well as major entrance exams including NEET, JEE and CUET.

The Cabinet decision came shortly after Modi addressed students through a video message posted on X amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the NEET paper leak allegations. In the message, the Prime Minister said the issue had caused serious concern among students and parents and assured them that the government was taking action.

Modi said authorities had already initiated several measures in response to the controversy, including arrests of individuals allegedly connected to the paper leak.

The government's move comes as the Cockroach Janta Party continues its agitation over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations. The protest group has demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, accountability over the NEET-UG controversy, changes to the examination system and financial assistance for families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the cancellation of the examination.

Government sources, however, have ruled out any possibility of Pradhan stepping down and said the Centre remains committed to addressing structural shortcomings within the National Testing Agency.

The government is also preparing a broader reform programme for the NTA, with the stated aim of improving the security and credibility of India's examination system.