Uttarakhand Exam Paper Leak: Students Demand CBI Probe, Sit On Indefinite Strike

The Uttarakhand Berozgar Sangh on Thursday demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged leak of three pages of a graduate-level competitive examination question paper.

According to PTI, a delegation led by union president Ram Kandwal met Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami over the issue but said the meeting did not yield results.

Large groups of students under the banner of the Sangh have set up tents outside Dehradun’s Parade Ground and are on an indefinite strike. The organisation has called for the immediate resignation of the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) chairman, cancellation of the examination, and amendments to constable recruitment rules.

Union state vice president Suresh Singh said the protest would not end until the government accepted all demands. He alleged there were widespread irregularities in the examination.

The opposition Congress has also stepped up its attack on the state government. State Congress vice president Suryakant Dhasmana said his party would hold demonstrations at all district headquarters on Friday, pressing for a CBI investigation.

Amid pressure, the state government on Wednesday set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the supervision of a retired high court judge. The five-member SIT is chaired by Dehradun Superintendent of Police (Rural) Jai Baluni.

Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan said the SIT would investigate across the state and submit its report within a month. He added that strict action would be taken against those found guilty. Bardhan said the Commission would also be requested not to proceed further with the exam until the probe was completed.

Screenshots of three pages of the exam paper, conducted by the UKSSSC, went viral on social media on 21 September, showing timestamps shortly after the test began.

Police have arrested the main accused, Khalid Malik, and his sister Sabia. Malik, who had appeared in the exam from Haridwar, allegedly photographed the paper at the Adarsh Bal Sadan Inter College in Bahadurpur Jat village, Pathri area, and sent it to his sister. According to PTI, Sabia then forwarded the questions to Suman, an assistant professor in Tehri, to obtain answers.

Police said Suman became suspicious of the questions and shared screenshots with another person, who uploaded them on social media instead of reporting the matter to authorities, leading to the leak becoming public.

(With inputs from PTI)