Lucknow, 8/1 : In a decisive move that underscores the Uttar Pradesh government’s “zero tolerance” policy towards examination malpractice, the state administration has officially cancelled the Assistant Professor recruitment examination held last year. The decision, announced late Wednesday, comes after a Special Task Force (STF) inquiry confirmed that the sanctity of the exam had been compromised by a paper leak and an organized extortion racket.
The cancellation sends shockwaves through the academic community, affecting approximately 1.14 lakh aspirants who had appeared for the tests on April 16 and 17, 2025. The recruitment drive, spearheaded by the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC), aimed to fill 1,017 vacancies in government-aided degree colleges across the state.
**Insider Involvement Exposed**
The unraveling of the recruitment process began with intelligence inputs received by the UP STF regarding a “cheating mafia” operating within the system. The investigation took a sinister turn when it revealed insider involvement. On April 20, 2025, the STF arrested three key accused: Mehboob Ali, Baijnath Pal, and Vinay Pal.
Shockingly, Mehboob Ali was serving as the confidential assistant to the then-chairperson of the commission. During interrogation, Ali reportedly confessed to accessing question papers during the moderation process and distributing them to select candidates in exchange for hefty bribes. The STF’s technical analysis and data cross-verification corroborated these confessions, leaving the government with no choice but to scrap the entire process to protect the interests of genuine merit holders.
**CM Yogi’s Directive: Clean Slate**
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, taking cognizance of the STF report, ordered the immediate annulment of the exam. A government spokesperson stated, “The decision was taken in the interest of the candidates and to maintain the credibility of the selection process.” The Chief Minister has directed the UPESSC to announce fresh examination dates at the earliest and to ensure the new process is conducted with “impeccable transparency” and robust security protocols.
The fallout from the scandal had already claimed high-profile casualties; the former UPESSC chairperson, Prof. Kirti Pandey, resigned in September last year following the revelations of her aide’s involvement.
**A Long Wait Continues**
For the thousands of candidates who have been waiting for results for nearly nine months, the news is a double-edged sword—a validation of their concerns regarding corruption, but also a frustrating delay in their career progression. The government has assured that strict legal action will be taken against all those found guilty in the racket, and the re-examination will be prioritized.
As the UPESSC prepares to release a new schedule, the spotlight remains firmly on the state’s ability to conduct a leak-proof examination and restore faith in its public recruitment systems.
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