UP Civil Services prelims paper leaked, inquiry on

Lucknow, March 29 

The question paper of Uttar Pradesh Provincial Civil Services (PCS) preliminary examination was today leaked just before the start of the examination, leaving lakhs of aspirants high and dry. “Any decision to cancel the paper will be taken only by the UP Public Service Commission (UPPSC). The government is awaiting report,” an official spokesman said.

Top UPPSC officials met at the commission's headquarters in Allahabad, but there was no official word on whether any decision was taken on cancellation of the examination. The news of the paper leak spread like a wildfire while the first shift of the preliminary exams, held between 9.30 am and 11.30 am, was under way.

"The paper was leaked at about 9.15 am on WhatsApp messenger before start of the examination. It has matched with the original paper of the PCS preliminary. We have informed the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary," Director General of Police (DGP) A K Jain told reporters.

He said the police had got initial leads in the case. "Special Task Force teams are working on it and we will soon work out the paper leak," Jain said.

Around 4.5 lakh candidates appeared in 917 centres across the state, including 70,000 candidates in Lucknow who took the test in 148 centres. District Magistrate, Lucknow, Rajshekhar said the examination was held as per schedule in both shifts.

"The paper in the second shift was held as per schedule. As far as paper leakage is concerned, the STF is probing the matter," he said.

The matter prompted Opposition parties to demand a CBI probe and dismissal the UPPSC head, who has been in the eye of a storm since 2013 when a controversial reservation policy was introduced by the UPPSC, introducing caste-based reservations at the preliminary stage itself. — PTI