Mega Protest Day 6, 244 Held, FIR Filed: Clarifications Provided on WhatsApp, Police Document Leak Startles | FAQ & Reality Checked

A First Information Report (FIR) was filed by Lucknow police on Friday in connection with the leak of the Uttar Pradesh police constable recruitment test question. On the sixth day of the civil service candidates’ protest over the purported question paper leak, the police took action.

Across the state, hundreds of applicants who took the exam have been demonstrating in favor of a retake. The candidates claim that the examination’s integrity was violated when a question paper became viral on social media only hours before it was scheduled to begin.

Examining Consistency in Police Recruiting: What’s the problem?
On February 17 and 18, more over 48 lakh candidates—roughly 16 lakh of them women—took part in the UP Police Recruitment Exam 2024. The test was held at 2,385 locations in four shifts in all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh with the intention of filling 60,244 police force vacancies.

But after the test, a lot of applicants have been asking the state government to hold the UP Police Constable Exam 2024 again, claiming that the exam’s question paper was already doing the rounds on social media before it was officially opened.

Even screenshots of WhatsApp chats were posted by certain X users, and many

The assertions were then reinforced by YouTube videos, which increased confusion among

the contenders. Officials have refuted these claims, however.

WHY THE PROTEST FOR THE UP POLICE CONSTABLE EXAM 2024?
Since Monday, February 19, civil service candidates have been staging protests around Uttar Pradesh in response to the reported paper leak in the RO/ARO preliminary exam. The candidates staged a protest on Friday at the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission’s front gate in Prayagraj. Protesters chanted, “Jo sarkar weak hai, uska parcha leak hai.”

“In our ongoing movement against the leaking of question papers of RO (Review Officer), ARO exam, our demand is that this exam should be cancelled and UPPSC Chairman Sanjay Srinet should be removed,” protester Abhinav Dwivedi told reporters.

He said that the irregularity occurred as a result of the test centers being established in different areas.

Additionally, hundreds of candidates gathered in Lucknow’s Eco Garden to express their disapproval of the purported paper leak and to seek a reexamination.

PRELIMINARY EXAM FOR UP RO/ARO: ACTIONS TAKEN SO FAR
An internal committee of the Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment and Promotion Board has been formed to look into all claims of paper leaks and question-and-answer sheets becoming viral on social media.

Renuka Mishra, the head of the recruiting board, said that the board had formed an internal committee in response to issues that applicants were bringing up on social media.

After the test was over, she said, “This committee within the Board will assess the process of improvements, if required, for future recruitments and attempt to verify the unverified claims being made on social media.”

But according to her, “No paper was uploaded on social media prior to the exam.” Everything happened after the test. The contestant is also handed the question paper to take home. We must so specify the foundation for their assertions. Whether they are making things up or making an accusation. In order to do so, I have formed an internal board committee to go over each post and determine the veracity of the statements made.

According to her, the Board and the state government are always focused on merit and total openness.

By 6 p.m. on February 23, the UP Police Recruitment and Promotion Board also requested representation from the candidates who took the test, along with any necessary documentation. Upon reviewing the facts and representation offered, the Board promised to work further in the applicants’ best interests.

On February 18, around 6 p.m., UP police arrested or detained up to 244 individuals from all throughout the state on suspicion of using unfair methods during the police constable recruitment test.

After filing a formal complaint against them, the accused who have been detained or arrested are being questioned. As to the news source PTI, Prashant Kumar, the head of Uttar Pradesh police, said that those who use fraudulent techniques in examinations would be apprehended and face severe consequences.

UP PAPER LEAK: THE MATTER OF POLITICS RIFE
Congresswoman Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticized the Uttar Pradesh BJP administration on Friday for the recruitment test paper leak events, calling for a CBI investigation and tough punishment for those responsible.

Every hamlet in the Uttar Pradesh is having this conversation. The administration is dozing off. From Allahabad to Meerut to Lucknow, boys and girls are calling for a re-examination while yelling and demonstrating. In a post on X, Priyanka Gandhi claimed in Hindi that the government was hitting them with sticks and humiliated them.

The head of Congress questioned how and by whom these documents are released.

Priyanka Gandhi stated in a different post on X that her party has put up a bill on recruitment examinations in Uttar Pradesh that included safeguards against corruption and paper leaks.

We urge that the recent document leak instances be investigated by the CBI in light of the crises surrounding them, and that those responsible for the leaks face harsh consequences. She said in her Hindi post that “severe action should be taken in case of its violation and an exam calendar should be issued in which the dates of advertisement, examination, and appointment are recorded.”

Congressman Rahul Gandhi also backed protestors on Friday, claiming that young people in Varanasi are being “misled” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that they have walked to the streets in protest of the purported police recruitment document leak.

on addition, he posted a video on X of young people demonstrating on the streets against the police recruitment exam paper leak, claiming that Modi is lecturing them about what is going on in their own neighborhood.

Young people are protesting on the streets of Lucknow and Prayagraj due to the police recruitment paper leak. Gandhi said in Hindi on the microblogging site, “And the prime minister is fooling people barely 100 miles away in Varanasi. He made an allusion to teaching people about their own backyards when he added, “In typical Banarasi style, Modiji is telling ‘Nani about nanihal’.”

Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, has also endorsed the protest by stating that the BJP does not want to provide employment or reservations.

Akhilesh Yadav wrote on X, “We are with the agitation of competitive exam aspirants going on at Allahabad Public Service Commission office,” endorsing the Prayagraj protest. The BJP does not want to finish any exams since they will have to award jobs and make reservations for those jobs thereafter. The BJP is not interested in offering reservations or employment. The young of today claim they oppose the BJP.

In the meanwhile, CM Adityanath has received a letter from BJP leader Dr. Arun Kumar, an MLA from Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, requesting that the tests be retaken.

The Minister was reported by TOI as saying, “Some young aspirants who appeared for the examination informed me that the question paper of all the four shifts was leaked before the exam on 17 and 18 Feb.”

Kumar insisted that tests be retaken, stating that the situation was grave and may affect the student’s future.

EXAM PAPER LEAK FROM UP POLICE: JOBLESS MAN HANGING SELF IN KANNUJ
In his home in Kannu’s Bhoodpurwa neighborhood, a 28-year-old unemployed man burnt all of his academic credentials before hanging himself on Thursday.

According to his relatives, Brijesh Pal was unhappy over the paper leak and had just gone for a police recruitment test. In a suicide note he left behind, Pal attributed his decision to end his life to unemployment.

“I’m angry right now. According to authorities, he said in the message, “What is the use of degrees when one cannot get a job.”

He told his family, “I have betrayed you,” and requested them to arrange his sister’s marriage “in a very good manner.”

Pal’s father owns four bighas in the hamlet and works in a private capacity in Delhi. His parents only had one son, him. Pal’s corpse has been submitted for a post-mortem, according to Vishnu Kant Tiwari, SHO of the Sadar Police Station.