UPTET 2021: The Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (UPTET) 2021 exam has been cancelled following paper leak. The exam was scheduled to be held at 10 am today (November 28).
According to reports, the paper went viral on several WhatsApp groups in Mathura, Ghaziabad, and Bulandshahr just before the exam began.
More than 19.99 lakh candidates were to appear for the Uttar Pradesh TET exam.
"UPTET 2021 examination scheduled to be held today stands cancelled due to alleged paper leak," Uttar Pradesh Additional Director General of Police (ADG), Law and Order, Prashant Kumar said.
The Special Task Force (STF) arrested as many as 23 persons last night using technical and other intelligence from different cities of UP.
This includes four from Lucknow, 13 from Prayagraj, three by the Meerut STF and one from Kaushambi district.
"The photocopy of the question paper was obtained from them, which was shared with the government. And it came to light that it is the same set of question papers as that of the examination,” Kumar said.
“Immediately it was decided by the government that these exams will be cancelled, and the examinations will be held in the coming one month.
The Uttar Pradesh Basic Education Board (UPBEB) will conduct the UPTET exam again after one month. The UPBEB has further notified that candidates will not have to pay any fees again for the exam. The exact date of the UPTET exam will be notified in due course of time.
“All the expenses in this examination will be borne by the government. The candidates will not have to pay the fees or fill the examination form. Apart from this, it was decided that UPSRTC buses will be used to send back the candidates to their respective home destinations free of cost by using their admit cards," Prashant Kumar said.
The officer said the matter will be probed by the UP STF, and persons or organisations involved in the leak will not be spared.
The question paper of the examination had not reached the examination centres till Sunday morning.
Items seized from accused included mobile phones and photocopy of question papers.
"Apart from UP, some people of Bihar have also been caught in this. Either the solver gang leaks the question paper, or a solver (person impersonating the candidate) appears instead of the candidate," Kumar said, adding more arrests will be made.
The situation at centres was under control and announcements are being made there urging the candidates to go back to their homes, added the officer.
(with PTI inputs)
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