Uttarakhand Police Rule Out Gang Links in Exam Paper Leak Case

Rapid Summary

• Uttarakhand police stated no organised gang involvement has been found in the alleged leak of the UKSSSC graduate-level exam paper, though three pages of the paper were leaked.
• Dehradun SSP Ajay Singh confirmed that photos of some exam questions were sent from a centre, and suspects have been identified with strong evidence collected.
• Social activist Bobby Panwar is under suspicion for allegedly circulating screenshots on social media without verification.
• UKSSSC chairman Ganesh Singh Martolia admitted concern over leaked pages despite mobile jammers being installed at all centres and called for an internal inquiry and also a special task force probe into the issue.
• Two accused – Hakam Singh and Pankaj Gaur – were arrested on September 20 for allegedly luring aspirants by promising to clear thier exams in exchange for ₹12-15 lakh. One of them had previously been arrested on similar charges.
• Congress leader Karan Mahara criticised the BJP-led Pushkar Singh Dhami government, accusing it of failing to curb “paper leak mafia” despite introducing a stringent anti-cheating law: The Uttarakhand Competitive Examination (Measures for Prevention and Control of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Act.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The alleged UKSSSC exam paper leak highlights persistent challenges facing recruitment processes in India, especially issues of transparency and accountability despite measures such as mobile jammers and stricter laws like uttarakhand’s anti-cheating legislation. While law enforcement has made arrests and assured investigations are underway, recurring episodes suggest systemic vulnerabilities remain unaddressed.Public trust is central to recruitment commissions, especially given aspiring candidates’ reliance on fair opportunities amid significant unemployment concerns nationally. Accusations by opposition leaders about inefficacy should compel deeper governmental introspection rather than be relegated as mere partisan criticism. Moving forward, sustained institutional reforms-not only reactive measures-are imperative to bolster confidence among youth competing for public sector jobs.

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