The Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment Exam, slated to be held on 17 and 18 February, has been marred by controversy and subsequent cancellation due to reported paper leak incidents. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced the cancellation of the examination, citing the need to uphold the sanctity and integrity of the recruitment process. According to Adityanath, a re-examination will be conducted within the next six months to ensure fairness and transparency in the selection of candidates for the posts of Reserve Civil Police.
The decision to cancel the recruitment exam came after mounting agitation from civil service aspirants who alleged the leaking of question papers. The protests, which entered their fifth day, saw aspirants demonstrating outside the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission’s offices, demanding accountability and fairness in the examination process.
In an official notification issued by the Uttar Pradesh government, the cancellation of the exam was attributed to “negligence” on the part of the recruitment board, which led to the leaking of question papers. The notification also mentioned the filing of an FIR and the initiation of an investigation by the Special Task Force (STF) to identify and penalize those responsible for the leak.
CM Yogi Adityanath took to Twitter to express his stance on the matter, emphasizing the government’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of examinations and ensuring justice for aspiring candidates. He assured stringent action against anyone found guilty of compromising the examination process, affirming that there would be no tolerance for such misconduct.
The cancellation of the Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment Exam has raised concerns about the transparency and accountability of the recruitment process. Opposition leaders, including Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, have criticized the BJP-led government in Uttar Pradesh for its handling of the situation. Vadra demanded a CBI inquiry into the paper leak incidents and urged authorities to take strict action against the perpetrators.
Vadra highlighted the magnitude of the examination, with over 50 lakh aspirants registering for the test, making it the largest recruitment drive in the state’s history. She pointed out the financial burden on candidates, who paid ₹400 for the application form, and expressed sympathy for the hardships faced by them and their families due to the cancellation and subsequent uncertainty.
This incident is not the first instance of paper leaks affecting recruitment exams in Uttar Pradesh. Similar incidents have been reported in the past, raising questions about the efficacy of the examination process and the measures in place to prevent such malpractices. The cancellation of the recruitment exam underscores the need for robust safeguards and oversight mechanisms to uphold the integrity of examinations and safeguard the interests of aspirants.
