The Uttar Pradesh government may have cancelled the recent police constable examination on allegations of a paper leak, but candidates also demanded strict measures to keep a check on such incidents and to prevent them from happening in future. Candidates said they had undergone nightmarish experiences that had hindered their careers.
On Saturday (February 24), while announcing the cancellation of the exam, chief minister Yogi Adityanath said there can be no compromise on the sanctity of the examinations. He said the paper will be held in the next six months.
“There can be no compromise with the sanctity of examinations. Those who played with the hard work of the youth will not be spared. Strictest action will be taken against them,” the chief minister said in a post on X.
The decision to cancel the exam came after candidates staged massive protests at Lucknow’s Eco Garden. The paper was conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment & Promotion Board (UPPRPB) on February 17 and 18.
“We hail the decision, but there is a need to put a check on such occurrences that has not only maligned the image of the state but has also got it the tag of ‘Paper-leak Pradesh’,” said Ayushi Raj, who is from Hardoi and took part in the protests.
Adityanath’s announcement brought relief to the candidates, but they recounted other similar experiences and said frequent paper leak incidents were getting in the way of their careers. They also demanded strict measures to keep a check on such incidents from happening in future.
The paper leak controversy has also taken a political turn, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections with the opposition attacking the ruling BJP for its inability in carrying out fair exams in UP.
What are the allegations?
The allegations of paper leak in the recruitment exam meant for the post of constable in the UP police, are the most recent. “On Day 1 (February17) of the exam, my paper was in the second shift. Like others, I too appeared in the exam. But, we later got to know that the same question paper was doing the rounds on social media since 7 in the morning and many had access to the question paper well in advance,” said Gaurav Vimal, an aspirant from Unnao.
Some candidates also alleged that the question paper was available at a price between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh, and many candidates had it eight to 12 hours before the exam.
At least 48 lakh candidates had applied for the exam for a total of 60,244 constable posts. On February 23, a large number of candidates took to the streets in the state capital and staged a massive demonstration at Eco Garden, alleging paper leak and demanding re-examination.
The UPPRPB has formed an internal committee to probe paper leak allegations. Chairperson Renuka Mishra has assured a thorough review of the complaints. The UP police, meanwhile, filed an FIR on February 23 and arrested 244 people for alleged fraudulent activity during the recruitment exam.
Is this the only ‘paper leak’ incident?
This is not the only exam to run into paper leak allegations. Before this, there were similar allegations for the preliminary exams of review officer/assistant review officer (RO/ARO 2023) held on February 12. For this, too, aspirants demanded a judicial inquiry and called for a three-member committee, headed by a sitting high court judge with two retired high court judges, to probe the allegations.
On their demand, the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC), which conducts the exam, formed a three-member internal committee to probe the allegations of paper leak. With the RO/ARO (Main) examination 2023 scheduled for July 28, UPPSC officials are treating the allegations seriously but are tight-lipped about future action. Government sources said the state has also ordered a probe into the matter.
The paper leak allegations for this prelims exam also started trending on social media with ‘#RO/AROpaperleaked’, ‘#UPPSCVDemandReexam’ and ‘#CancelRO/AROexam’. Additionally, online study platforms under Bhrashtachar Mukti Morcha president Kaushal Singh and advocacy groups have pledged support for the aspirants’ cause, stressing on the need for transparency and justice in the examination process.
The exam, conducted on February 11 at 2,387 centres across 58 districts, attracted 64 percent of the total 10,76,004 registered candidates.
Why is the opposition saying?
On his recent visit to Lucknow during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the Yogi government for its inability in keeping a check on frequent paper leak cases. Targeting the state government, he said paper leak cases have put the future of the youth of UP at stake.
On February 23, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took to X to highlight the paper leak cases in UP, saying: “Re-exam, Re-exam…. Just think once – more than 50 lakh youth filled the form. This was the biggest test in the history of the state. There was a form for Rs 400. 48 lakh admit cards issued. And the paper got leaked before the exam. What must the children be going through? On their families?”
“Same thing happened in the RO Exam. The paper got leaked. This discussion is taking place in every village of UP. The government is sleeping. Boys and girls are shouting and protesting from Allahabad, Meerut to Lucknow and demanding re-exam. The government is humiliating them and beating them with sticks. Who gets this paper leaked? How does this paper leak? Can’t our country, which is going to the Moon and Mars, conduct a foolproof test? Where a youth’s hard work is not stolen, his future is not robbed!!” she added.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has also announced his support to the candidates of the RO exam, saying: “We are with the movement of competitive students against Allahabad Public Service Commission. Actually, the BJP does not want to complete any examination because after that job will have to be given and reservation will have to be given in the job. BJP neither wants to provide jobs nor reservation. Today’s youth says they don’t want BJP!”
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