Uttarakhand is once again in the eye of a storm. A state already scarred by repeated paper leak scandals in government recruitment exams is facing yet another credibility crisis. The recent leak in the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) graduate-level recruitment exam has triggered massive protests, hunger strikes, and a political war of words.

This isn’t the first time, nor does it appear to be the last. Despite the state government’s much-publicised anti-cheating law, the repeated leaks have eroded the faith of aspirants who invest years of their lives preparing for these exams.

How the Leak Allegations Emerged

The UKSSSC written examination for graduate-level posts in various government departments was scheduled for Sunday, 21 September. The exam began at 11 a.m. and was to end at 1 p.m. However, allegations surfaced that the paper had been leaked half an hour before the exam even began.

Bobby Panwar, a prominent member of the Uttarakhand Berozgaar Sangh—a union of unemployed youth formed in March 2018—was among the first to raise the alarm. He alleged that the paper had leaked at least 30 minutes before the official start.

Uttarakhand Berozgar Sangh president Ram Kandwal further claimed the leak originated from a centre in Haridwar. The Sangh, along with the Swabhiman Morcha, is now spearheading protests that have snowballed across the state.

Some students alleged irregularities at exam centres in Dehradun, including Graphic Era University and another in Vikas Nagar, where exams allegedly began as early as 10:30 a.m.—well before schedule. In some rooms, cardboards reportedly covered CCTV cameras, raising suspicions of malpractice.

What began as an agitation at Dehradun’s Parade Ground quickly spread to Uttarkashi, Shiv Nagar, Vikas Nagar, Gopeshwar, Srinagar, Kashipur, Pithoragarh, Chamoli, Karnaprayag, and Haldwani, where aspirants launched hunger strikes by Thursday.

A History of Leaks in Uttarakhand

Paper leak scandals in Uttarakhand are not new. The menace first came to light around 2017–18 but escalated significantly in 2021, when the Patwari and Lekhpal exams were compromised. In 2022, the graduate-level UKSSSC exam was leaked, affecting thousands of aspirants.

By 2023, public anger reached a tipping point. Massive protests forced Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s government to introduce one of the country’s strictest anti-cheating laws—the Uttarakhand Competitive Examination (Measures for Control and Prevention of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Act, 2023.

Yet, the recurrence of leaks has left many students bitter and hopeless.

• 2021: Patwari and Lekhpal exams marred by leaks.

• 2022: UKSSSC graduate-level exam scandal affected over a lakh aspirants. Investigations exposed organised nexuses, with Hakam Singh as a repeat offender.

• 2023: Protests escalated, forcing the government to introduce the anti-cheating ordinance, later passed as law.

The legislation introduced unprecedented punishments—life imprisonment, ₹10 crore fines, jail for candidates caught cheating, and strict accountability for institutions. Crucially, offences were made non-bailable and cognisable.

But students argue the law is toothless. “It’s been three years since this law was brought in, yet not a single case has been registered against the mafia. Instead, students are booked for spreading fake news,” said protest leader Ram Kandwal.

In 2021, Patwari and Lekhpal exams were riddled with leaks, with middlemen openly selling papers. By 2022, the UKSSSC graduate-level exam leak implicated over a lakh aspirants, with former BJP leader Hakam Singh emerging as the alleged mastermind.

Despite repeated arrests, activists like Kandwal claim police surveillance on Singh was lax, forcing student organisations to keep watch on him.

Voices from the Ground

At the Haldwani protest site, Vinod Kandwal (28), an aspirant from Ranikhet, expressed deep frustration: “We have made it clear to everyone that no politician will be allowed to speak here. Only students can speak.”

Vinod, who has been preparing for exams for four years, appeared for the September 21 paper as well. “I mainly prepare for the PCS exam. But the situation is such that we have to sit for every possible exam. We don’t have jobs—that is the reality in Uttarakhand.”

He recalled appearing for the 2021 exam too, only to face the same betrayal. “For aspirants in Uttarakhand, it doesn’t matter how hard you work. Their so-called stringent laws are just for show. Their actions are never against the real culprits. They only act against people like us. Even when we submit evidence, it is turned against us.”

The protesters have placed three key demands before the government:

• Cancellation of the 21 September exam and fresh conduct within one month.

• A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the leak.

• Resignation of UKSSSC officials responsible for the fiasco.

FIR and the Law in Action

Following a complaint by Raipur Police Station in-charge Girish Negi, the UKSSSC also lodged a formal complaint. A case was filed under the Uttarakhand Competitive Examination (Measures for Control and Prevention of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Act, 2023.

Sections 11(1), 11(2), and 12(2) of the Act were invoked, which deal with:

• Use of unfair means during recruitment exams.

• Organised malpractice involving coaching centres or printing presses.

• Penalties including fines up to ₹10 crore and life imprisonment in aggravated cases.

In this case, the FIR named five accused: Suman, an assistant professor; Khalid Malik; his sisters Hina and Sabia; and an unidentified accomplice.

Inside the Preliminary Investigation

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed immediately on 21 September. Its preliminary findings were revealing:

• Timeline of events: No reports of cheating were noted before 11:00 a.m. But around 1:30 p.m., social media posts alleging a leak went viral.

• WhatsApp chain: At 7:55 a.m., Khalid Malik messaged Suman, asking for help with his sister’s exam. By 11:35 a.m., Suman received three pages of the question paper with 12 questions. She quickly handwrote answers and returned them by 11:45 a.m.

• Contact with activist: Growing suspicious, Suman contacted her sister, who advised her to reach out to Bobby Panwar. At 12:28 p.m., she forwarded the pages and answers to him.

• Alleged intent: Rather than informing authorities, Panwar is said to have shared the material on social media by 1:30 p.m. The FIR accuses Suman of suspicious intent for forwarding both questions and answers.

Police argue that had Panwar informed officials instead of going public, swift action could have been taken.

Pre-Exam Bribery Scandal

Two days before the exam, police had already arrested Hakam Singh, a former BJP leader, and Pankaj Gaur for allegedly demanding ₹12–15 lakh from aspirants in exchange for guaranteed jobs.

“We came to know they are taking money from aspirants, promising them selection for ₹15 lakh. We prepared a student to speak to them over WhatsApp, and the recordings were handed to the STF on 19 September,” said protest leader Ram Kandwal.

Despite repeated arrests in past cases, Hakam Singh’s name keeps resurfacing, underlining the entrenched nature of the exam mafia.

The Aspirants’ Anguish

The UKSSSC, set up in 2014, handles recruitment for Group C and subordinate posts—vital opportunities for Uttarakhand’s youth. The posts range from Village Development Officers and Junior Assistants to Patwaris and Forest Guards. With minimum eligibility at 18–21 years and thousands competing for a few hundred vacancies, the competition is fierce.

That is why even a small leak devastates candidates.

Rohan Nautiyal (28) from Uttarkashi shared his despair: “A day before the exam, we heard in our WhatsApp groups that the paper had been leaked. I was already disheartened, but I went to take the exam hoping it wasn’t true. As soon as I came out, I realised the paper had indeed been leaked—I was devastated.”

Deepak (31) from Chamoli, who has spent seven years preparing for such exams, said bluntly: “This has become every year’s story. How long will this continue? Even the anti-cheating law couldn’t prevent it.”

Both had earlier appeared in the Patwari and forensic department exams in 2021 and 2023—also compromised by leaks.

Government’s Defence

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami admitted the seriousness of the situation but maintained that the law is working. At an event Wednesday, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said: “Since 2022, more than 100 people have been arrested in cases related to cheating in exams. The coaching mafia and cheating mafia come together to carry out nakal jihad in Devbhoomi. To those mafias and jihadis, I warn you that we will not rest till the mafia is destroyed.”

He added that in the last four years, over 25,000 youths have secured government jobs on merit.

The UKSSSC maintained that only three pages of the question paper were leaked, confined to a Haridwar centre. But aspirants argued that even a small leak can alter outcomes.

“They are saying it’s only three pages, but even 0.5 or 1 mark matters. We lose out because of this,” said Nautiyal.

STUDENTS PROTEST IN UTTARAKHAND 🚨

In Gopeshwar, Uttarakhand, students held a mock funeral procession to protest against the paper leak

BJP days are over in Uttarakhand .pic.twitter.com/kgaHbKQu7M— Surbhi (@SurrbhiM) September 25, 2025

Anti-Cheating Law: Promise vs. Reality

The 2023 law was hailed as India’s strictest. It promised:

• Life imprisonment and fines up to ₹10 crore for masterminds.

• Three years in jail and minimum ₹5 lakh fine for candidates caught cheating.

• Non-bailable, non-compoundable offences to ensure seriousness.

But students say the law has failed to deter mafias.

“It’s been three years since this law was brought in, yet not a single case has been registered against the mafia. Instead, it’s students who are booked on the pretext of spreading fake news,” said Kandwal.

Nautiyal added: “We plead with our parents year after year to give us one more chance to prepare for government jobs. And then this happens—it breaks your spirit.”

A Political Firestorm

The scandal has also spiraled into political controversy.

• BJP-Linked Colleges Allegation

Reports claim students from Harsh Degree College (run by BJP member Harsh Kumar Daulat) and Ferupur Inter College (managed by BJP worker Jagpal Saini) were sent to meet CM Dhami, demanding early declaration of results and insisting the exam was fair.

But protestors said many were misled: “They were asked to go to Dehradun but weren’t told why. They just had to shout slogans demanding results.”

Shockingly, the delegation included non-students—a VDO facing vigilance cases, two lawyers, a gram pradhan, and even a shopkeeper. One member, VDO Rampal, defended the move: “There was no leak. We only asked for results to be declared.”

• Student Remark Sparks National Row

During a protest in Dehradun, one student made a fiery statement comparing the situation to Nepal, warning that leaders could be “burned alive” if youth anger boiled over.

Congress leader Digvijay Singh reposted the video, saying, “The youth of the country is aware. We will shut down the shops of those who fool us.”

The BJP hit back hard. MLA Rameshwar Sharma accused Digvijay and Rahul Gandhi of being in contact with “terrorists, ISI, and Maoists” and trying to destabilize India. “Like Jinnah, they are hungry for power. They want to burn India down to seize power,” Sharma alleged, even urging the Supreme Court to act.

'पेपर चोर-गद्दी छोड़'

आज पूरे उत्तराखंड में ये नारा गूंज रहा है।

उत्तराखंड के लोग गुस्से में हैं, क्योंकि BJP सरकार 15-15 लाख रुपए लेकर अपने चहेतों को नौकरी बांट रही है, पेपर लीक करवा रही है।

उत्तराखंड के युवा BJP सरकार को बर्खास्त करने की मांग कर रहे हैं।

ये मांग जायज है। pic.twitter.com/6IIBuVasg8— Congress (@INCIndia) September 24, 2025

SIT Under Retired Judge to Lead Probe

To restore credibility, the state government has now ordered a full-fledged SIT probe, supervised by a retired High Court judge.

Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan confirmed that the SIT, led by an Additional SP-rank officer, will have state-wide jurisdiction and will particularly scrutinize centres in Haridwar. The investigation is expected to conclude within a month. Until then, the Commission has frozen any action regarding the exam.

The government promised “strict action” against those guilty and assured measures to prevent future irregularities.

Who is Bobby Panwar, the Face of Protests?

At the centre of this storm is 27-year-old Bobby Panwar, now the most prominent youth leader in Uttarakhand.

• Background: Hailing from a farmer’s family in Dehradun, Panwar began activism in 2018.

• Past protests: Rose to prominence during the 2021 exam leak protests.

• Political journey: Contested as an Independent in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, winning 1.6 lakh votes. In early 2025, he joined Swabhiman Morcha, a platform challenging both BJP and Congress.

For many aspirants, Panwar embodies their anger and hope. His rise signals a youth-led political shift, driven by frustration at repeated recruitment scandals and lack of accountability.

The Battle for Trust

The UKSSSC paper leak is not just about one exam—it is about a pattern of betrayal. Despite tough laws, scams continue to flourish, crushing the dreams of hardworking aspirants from small towns and farming families.

As protests rage on, and political accusations fly, what remains at stake is the trust of Uttarakhand’s youth. They demand not just another cancellation or SIT probe, but a foolproof system that ensures their hard work determines their future—not the power of mafias or middlemen.

Until then, the words of Chamoli’s Deepak ring painfully true: “This has become every year’s story. How long will this continue?”

With inputs from agencies

Image Source: Multiple agencies

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