UP TET 2021 question paper leaked, exam cancelled

Police officials said that the STF of the state police has arrested 23 people from different parts in the state in connection with the leakage

Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (UPTET) exam was cancelled barely hours before it was scheduled to begin on Sunday after its question paper was leaked and became viral on social media platforms, forcing over 21 lakh applicants to return home.

The opposition parties trained guns on the Yogi Adityanath government accusing it of ruining the future of lakhs of unemployed youths and also demanded stern action against those responsible for the leakage of the question paper.

Police officials said that the special task force (STF) of the state police has arrested 23 people from different parts in the state in connection with the leakage. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath said that the National Security Act (NSA) and Gangster's Act would be slapped on the accused person.

While four people were arrested from Lucknow, three were nabbed from Shamli district and two each from Gorakhpur and Varanasi. As many as 13 alleged solvers were arrested from Prayagraj, police said.

"The exam has been cancelled...it will be conducted next month...a fresh date will be given for it," said the state basic education minister Satish Dwivedi. "The applicant can return home from UP Roadways buses without paying for the ticket," he added.

The minister said that the STF was investigating the matter. "We will not spare the guilty," he added.

The opposition leaders, however, slammed the government for the leakage and suspected involvement of people, who enjoyed patronage of BJP leaders.

"Leakage of entrance exam question papers and corruption in recruitments have become permanent features of this BJP government...the state government has always saved the big fish in paper leakage incidents," Congress general secretary and UP in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said.

"The government has ruined the future of lakhs of youths...2022 polls will witness a change in the state. BJP will be ousted by the unemployed youths," Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Akhilesh Yadav said.