Lucknow : The question paper of Uttar Pradesh Provincial Civil Services (PCS) preliminary examination was on Sunday 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 a report on the entire matter,” an official spokesman told PTI on Sunday night.
Top UPPSC officials met at the commission’s headquarters in Allahabad but there was no official word on whether any decision was taken on the cancellation of the examination.
The news of the paper leak spread like wildfire while the first shift of the preliminary exams, held between 9.30 am and 11.30 am, was underway.
“The paper was leaked at about 9.15 am on WhatsApp messenger before the start of the examination. It has matched with the original paper of PCS preliminary. We have informed the chief minister and chief secretary in this regard,” Director General of Police (DGP) A.K. Jain told reporters.
He said the police has got initial leads in the case.
“STF 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.
Media reports claimed the question paper was being sold at Rs 5 lakh, while some said it was available at paan shops in certain areas.
As the news of the paper leak spread, students staged massive protests outside the Public Service Commission office in Aliganj here.
Similar protests were witnessed in Allahabad with hundreds of youths gathering in front of the UP Public Service Commission there, setting fire to an effigy of the panel’s chairman, Anil Yadav, and demanding his immediate removal. Several candidates and their guardians also protested in Kanpur.
District Magistrate, Lucknow, Rajshekhar said the examination was held as per schedule in both the shifts.
“The paper in the second shift was held as per schedule just like the first shift,” he said.