On The Ground In UP’s Coaching Hub: As Exam Paper Leaks Hit Peak, Breaking Down Students' Demands From Yogi Government

India’s paper leak crisis has reached an all-time high, with mounting controversies in major entrance exams like NEET and UGC-NET. This has drawn considerable attention to the country's examination system.

However, before reaching the central examinations, incidents of paper leaks and cancellations have dashed the hopes of many at the state levels.

According to an investigative report by Indian Express, in the past five years, 1.4 crore job seekers across 15 states have been affected by paper leaks in 41 examinations.

Looking at these states, each case of a paper leak is unique, varying in format, types of aspirants involved, and the specific loopholes exploited. Therefore, while it creates a nationwide problem, the irregularities in state examinations become key to identifying the distinct factors and causes which are at play.

In Uttar Pradesh alone, three major competitive exams for government jobs were compromised by paper leaks in last one year.

The state, where a large number of students prepare for government exams, as their only source of employment, has faced a long history of examination failures and the use of unfair means to clear them.

The list of examinations cancelled in the last few years in UP includes — for the post of inspectors in 2017, tubewell operators in 2018, the teacher eligibility test in 2021 and for village development officers in 2018, as per reports.

In response to the current irregularities, the current government under Yogi Adityanath, plans to introduce a new law to prevent paper leaks and crack down on the leaks ecosystem.

This law will include severe penalties for those involved in paper leaks and solver gangs. These proposed penalties include heavy fines, bulldozer action, and even jail time for offenders.

While the strict laws are a welcome first step, the situation requires more from the Yogi government, as this issue remains deeply intertwined with employment and poverty challenges in the state.

Swarajya’s visit to UP's Prayagraj aimed to look at why this trend of discrepancies remains so prevalent, over the years, across party lines. Additionally, to understand, that with so much at stake, how aspirants manage their preparations and the challenges posed by this issue.

At UP’s Coaching Hub

At the centre of attention in UP’s examination leaks is the state police constable examination.

Originally held on 17-18 February 2024, due to a leak on social media, the government cancelled the exam, with a re-exam promised in six months, which shattered the dreams of many aspirants in an instant.

The exam, which happened only after 2017-2018, saw over 5,000,000 youth who applied for the 60,244 constable positions, and was held across 2,370 examination centres in 75 districts.

To put the scale in perspective, the current central examinations under scrutiny — the NEET exam had 2,333,297 registrations and the UGC NET had 1,121,225 registrations.

Driven by demand for government jobs or high unemployment, but these exams, bring around 4-5 lakh youth, mainly from farming backgrounds and marginalised castes in Purvanchal region, to Prayagraj to pursue their aspirations.

The exams are conducted through boards such as Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC), Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC), Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment and Promotion Board (UPPRPB) and Uttar Pradesh Higher Education Service Commission (UPHESC) for recruitments across various state departments, including teaching, nursing, junior engineering, review officers, constable, and many more entry level positions.

However, this pursuit comes with several challenges, including the pressure of debts undertaken to pay for application fees, coaching, accommodation, food and library rents for many years.

20-year-old, Prince Mishra, from Pratapgarh, moved to Prayagraj in 2021, to follow her aspiration to secure a government job. For her, focusing on a career in the UP Police, specifically the constable position, seemed ideal.

“I have my mother at home, an elder sister who is married, and a younger sister. We run a departmental store, which is our only source of income. My mother would not allow her daughter to be posted out of the state or in remote areas for a job, so the constable position was ideal as it ensures the posting would be within the state,” she tells Swarajya.

Many women prefer this exam because it allows eligibility right after Class XII and has a relatively simpler selection process compared to other exams. Of the total vacancies this time, nearly 30 per cent were for women.

She adds, “I moved to Prayagraj after the announcement of the examination in 2021. However, the next notification only came in 2023, and the exam was finally held in 2024. Coaching in Prayagraj typically lasts six months to a year, but I had to stay longer to continue preparation until the exam.”

“It was only after the exam, that I found out about the leak. Tea stall owners also had the paper. I waited and prepared my best for three years for a single exam. Now, with the exam cancelled, I am left in limbo, waiting for the next date.

“The government needs to consider what students like me go through. My mother could support only for the coaching, but since the exam never took place, I had to stay longer, giving tuitions and living in remote areas to save on rent.

“Who is going to address this? After years of preparation, and pressure, just one announcement to cancel the exam is devastating,” she adds.

This has become a routine issue. Everyone who comes to prepare has no certainty about even getting the chance to take the exams, let alone secure a position.

Several areas in the city, such as Salori, Chota Bagada, Katra, Rajapur, University Chauraha and Allenganj are only running on coaching and residences for such aspirants.

The streets by evening gets packed with students. “Nearly 75 per cent of people you see are preparing for and awaiting the constable re-examination,” tells Rajan from Jaunpur.

“Most of them spend their days and nights in digital libraries set up across the city. They continue their self-preparation for years, while they wait in uncertainty for new vacancies and re-exam dates,” he adds.

At one of the libraries, Raju Upadhyay tells Swarajya, “In the past year, there have been only two-three exams, and even for those question papers were leaked, and exams were cancelled. How are we supposed to survive here, and what do we tell our parents, families, and villagers?”

To support himself, Raju works at the library, earning Rs 100 each day, while managing his own studies. “Monthly expense here, just to survive is nearly Rs 7, 000 — which includes staying in small rooms, and surviving only on dal and rice,” he adds.

“When papers are leaked, all hope is lost, and it becomes very difficult to regain motivation,” says Kamal Yadav, a 25-year-old, who recently moved from Varanasi.

“I came here to prepare for teaching examinations, but since there was only one vacancy for constable, many of us applied for it.”

Kamal adds, “Now, all faith in the examination system in UP is gone. I am applying for teaching jobs in Bihar instead. At least there, if papers leak, they consider re-examinations within the next month and aim for faster recruitment.”

According to students, nearly 2.5 lakh recruitments have been completed in Bihar in the last eight months, with a promised total of around 10 lakh vacancies.

The Rise Of Unfair Means In UP Examinations

For many of the older teachers in the city, who have been educating students for over five decades, the root of the current issues with exams is blamed back to changes in high school exam patterns in the 1990s under the Mulayam Singh Yadav government.

“It was the Samajwadi Party’s self-centre scheme for its high school board and intermediate examinations that continued despite serious complaints about mass copying. Through mass copying, the results saw unexpected all-time high success rates. Through this, examinations were not hosted in different schools as the regular pattern,” a veteran teacher from the city tells Swarajya.

“During this period, the trend of using unfair means to pass exams began. Students who graduated high school with 90-95 per cent by such means, however, then faced challenges clearing government exams.

“Thus, it extended to clearing government recruitment exams. While I won’t name names, many higher officials and government employees have risen through unfair practices, and this problem has grown to its current scale,” he adds.

Over the years, cheating practices have become institutionalised, with a deep nexus, which has now also reached the national level. With multiple steps involved in examination control, there are opportunities for loopholes and corruption to penetrate easily.

However, the situation is now at its peak, and the only direction from here is downward.

Strict government actions are crucial, as without punishment, culprits find it too easy to evade consequences. Setting clear examples for those involved in corruption is essential to deter others from using unfair means.

A Polling Issue For The Government

Teachers, speaking anonymously, adds, “On the first day of the UP Police constable exam, we discovered that the paper had been leaked. We reported this to the authorities, but they denied any discrepancies.”

Following widespread protests in Lucknow, which saw around 50,000 students join, the government had to intervene and cancelled the examination on 24 February 2024.

“They promised a re-examination within six months. However, no updates on the new exam date have been provided, leaving all 50 lakh aspirants —confused, in debt, and uncertain about their next steps,” they add.

“Not only has this exam, but recently leaked papers for other exams have also negatively impacted the current government. Their anger has not necessarily translated into votes for other parties but has expressed their dissatisfaction with the current administration.”

As per the teachers, exams should not be part of any political agenda, yet the state government has made them seem politically motivated, which has backfired in elections. Only after six years, the current exam, held just before elections, was conducted.

“Considering the current unemployment among lower-income groups are at a peak, these exams represent their only hope for progress in the state. Yet the government has made the examination process so politically entangled that the real purpose of these exams has been overshadowed,” they said.

Apart From Strict Actions, Yogi Government Needs To Do More

With the current state of examinations in UP, it is evident that the causes of exam leaks include,

One, historical patterns, as with past issues of exam patterns, which were never addressed with strict actions, have set a precedent for ongoing problems.

Two, the unemployment, especially in the rural youth, and vacancies being announced sporadically. Aspirants face immense pressure which drives them to resort to any means necessary to avoid losing this crucial opportunity, given the age restrictions, time and money they have invested.

Three, nexus of corruption remains strong, as many officials were appointed through the same unfair means and continue to sustain these patterns. The high demand with each exam, and the prevailing uncertainties for students, allows both corrupt officials and private agencies to make substantial amounts of money.

Thus, much more needs to be done to break the cycle and restore integrity to the examination process.

“It’s the same officials, across party lines, who have been running the examinations. Even if new rules are introduced, as long as these same people are in charge, the trend will never change. What is needed is a complete reorganisation of the bodies and officials involved to break this nexus,", adds Professor Rana, who has been involved in the city university and coaching practices for over two decades.

“Additionally, more government agencies should oversee these examinations. Unregulated privatisation has only brought corruption. Each state is different, and for UP, operations at lower levels can easily be compromised. For example, a blacklisted agency was assigned to conduct the constable exam.

"Without strict actions against such agencies, they can simply re-register under new names and continue operations. Only selection of reliable and accountable agencies, and government audits are essential."

It doesn’t matter if the format remains the same — online or offline, it is the flawed pattern over the years that continues the trend.  

However, the major issue remains the high demand for government jobs. The system needs to roll out regular vacancies (as much available), each year, that allows students to continually participate in examinations and for many to clear by fair means.

These irregularities leave a huge number of educated youths in the state idle and waiting for years, which otherwise could contribute meaningfully to the growing markets.

Unfortunately, paper leaks have become an integral part of the exam preparation process. Even with re-examinations, many are convinced that as long as these systemic issues persist, the problem of exam paper leaks will continue unabated in the state.