UPPSC Paper Leak |Re-Test to be conducted on May 10

The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) announced that it would conduct a re-test of the general studies first paper in the provincial civil services preliminary examination.

The decision by the Commission came after a question paper leak on the mobile messaging platform Whatsapp had been revealed. The reports of the leak eventually sparked statewide protests and condemnations.

According to sources, approximately 4.5 lakh candidates who had previously appeared in the examination would be eligible to appear in the re-test scheduled on May 10, 2015.

Meanwhile, the police has arrested three individuals, including two teachers, for taking photographs of the question paper at Adarsh Bharti Vidyalaya, Lucknow, an hour or so before the test and then distributing those through Whatsapp.

The first shift of the preliminary exam was still underway when violent protests broke out after the news of the leak had spread.

The protesters demanded the removal of Anil Yadav, chairman of the board, who allegedly denied the incident when the repot first broke out. The government, however, acted swiftly after a special task force of Uttar Pradesh Police confirmed the leak and had the exam cancelled.

The opposition in the state assembly has demanded a CBI probe on the matter as well as the dismissal of the UPPSC chief, who incidentally, is not new to controversy. In 2013, he came under severe criticism after the board had enacted a controversial caste-based reservation policy. It was later scrapped because of violent protests across the state. Sensing the growing displeasure in various circles, even the UP government had distanced itself from the decision.