'Had to bow to youth power': Rahul, Akhilesh launch attack on UP govt over cancellation of 2023 police constable hiring exam

Lucknow: Apparently on the backfoot after a series of demonstrations by the applicants following alleged leak of question papers of the Uttar Pradesh Police recruitment examinations, which were held on February 17 and 18 across the state, the government on Saturday cancelled the examination and ordered a probe by the special task force (SIT) of the state police.

The examination would now be held within a period of six month. UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath made the announcement regarding cancellation of the examination on 'X' (formerly Twitter).

''Directives have been issued to cancel the Police Recruitment examination....they will be held within six months...there can be no compromise with the sanctity of the examinations...we will not spare the guilty,'' he said in the post.

The government directive said that a probe would be conducted into the matter and it would be ensured that those guilty were sternly punished.

The paper of the examination was allegedly leaked on WhatApp. The main accused in the paper leak identified as one Neeraj Kumar, was yet to be apprehended.

Initially, the officials maintained that there was no leak and that the question paper which was allegedly sent on the WhatsApp of some examinees was fake.

Thousands of candidates, who had taken the examination, had been holding demonstrations for the past few days demanding cancellation of the examination.The Samajwadi Party and the Congress leaders had also demanded cancellation of the examination.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi slammed the state government over the alleged leak and termed the decision to cancel the examination as victory of the youths of the state.

An estimated 48 lakh candidates had appeared in the examination.