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UPTET cancelled after paper leak, CM Adityanath says NSA will be invoked against culprits

The Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (UPTET), scheduled to be held on November 28, was cancelled after a question paper for the exam was leaked, an officer in Lucknow announced shortly before the exam was to begin.

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) arrested 23 people last night using technical and other intelligence from different cities of the State, Additional Director General Law and Order Prashant Kumar said in Lucknow.

U.P. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the culprits will be booked under the National Security Act and Gangster Act. He also ordered reconvening of the exam within a month.

“A question paper was leaked. I issued an order to cancel the examination and arrest those involved in the entire racket. Instructions were also given to conduct the exam within a month, and that no candidate should be charged additional fee,” he said, addressing a function in Deoria district on November 28.

He said orders were given to transport the students back to their home towns in UPSRTC buses free of cost on the basis of their admit cards. “Those who have committed this act should note that cases will be registered against them under the Gangster Act and the National Security Act,” he said.

Later in a tweet in Hindi, the CM said properties will be seized by the government of those involved in the leak. Close to 20 lakh candidates were to appear for the Uttar Pradesh Teachers Eligibility Test (UPTET) on November 28.

Earlier in the day, the ADG said that those arrested included four from Lucknow and 13 from Prayagraj. “A photocopy of the question paper was obtained from them, which was shared with the government. It came to light that the copy bore the same set of questions as did the official question paper,” he said.

“Immediately it was decided by the government that the exam needs to be cancelled and reconvened in the coming one month. “All expenses for the exam will be borne by the government. The candidates will not have to pay the fees or fill the examination form,” he added.

The officer said the matter will be probed by the U.P. STF, and people or organisations involved in the leak will not be spared.

The question paper of the examination had not reached the examination centres till November 28th morning.