UKSSSC Graduate Exam Cancelled After Paper Leak, Re-Test in 3 Months

The Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) has cancelled its graduate-level recruitment exam following allegations of a paper leak. The commission has confirmed that a re-examination will be conducted within three months for the 416 posts advertised earlier.

“The graduate-level examination conducted on September 21 for recruitment to multiple state government departments has been cancelled,” said UKSSSC Chairman GS Martolia on Saturday.

The decision follows reports that three pages of the question paper were leaked from a centre in Haridwar and circulated on social media shortly after the exam. The incident sparked widespread outrage among candidates across the state. More than one lakh aspirants had appeared for the test, which aimed to fill positions such as Patwari, Lekhpal, and other administrative roles.

Paper Leak Traced, CBI Probe Likely

UKSSSC officials revealed that the leak was traced to a candidate who smuggled an iPhone into the exam hall, photographed the paper, and sent it to his sister, who forwarded it to a college professor for solutions. All three individuals have been arrested, and a FIR has been registered at Raipur police station in Dehradun.

Amid protests led by the Uttarakhand Unemployed Union, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami assured candidates that the state government would recommend a CBI probe into the matter.

Judicial Inquiry and Exam Reforms

A judicial inquiry under the Commission of Enquiry Act, 1952, headed by Justice UC Dhyani (Retd.), submitted its findings on Saturday, stressing the need to restore public trust and transparency in recruitment examinations.

In its official statement, UKSSSC declared the exam “null and void” to ensure all future recruitment processes remain “above suspicion.”

Additionally, two upcoming UKSSSC exams scheduled for October have been postponed. Chairperson GS Martolia confirmed that the commission is planning a complete overhaul of its examination system. Discussions are underway with the Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL), Hyderabad, to implement 5G signal jammers and improve exam security.

Future examinations will likely be conducted only in government-run institutions to prevent external interference and maintain examination integrity.