The police have initiated a probe after registering an FIR over a possible question paper leak in the UP Technical Education (Teaching) exam, scheduled by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) on October 20, officials said on Friday.

The investigation follows the emergence of an alleged audio conversation between an employee of the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT) in Bhadohi and an unidentified person, indicating attempts to “compromise the integrity of the upcoming exam for personal benefit”, police stated.

Additional Superintendent of Police Tejveer Singh said IICT Director Rajiv Kumar Varshney informed the UPPSC secretary of the audio clip via email after its discovery. In the email dated October 14, Varshney described the conversation, involving an IICT employee named Rajesh Verma, according to the officer.

“The conversation hints at efforts to compromise the exam for personal gain. The IICT director also requested the submission of the audio clip and a pen drive with further evidence for thorough investigation,” Singh said.

“Given the seriousness of the case, UPPSC Deputy Secretary Dharmendra Kumar Tripathi filed a formal complaint at Bhadohi City police station on October 16, citing the Uttar Pradesh Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill 2024 and Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act,” he added.

A thorough inquiry is underway, with questioning of those involved, to ensure any wrongdoing is addressed swiftly, Singh concluded.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi attacked the Yogi Adityanath government over Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission postponed the PCS prelim exams.

Former UP in-charge of Congress said that the Yogi Adityanath government wanted to ruin the future of the youth. She said that the UP PCS prelims exam was postponed for the second time.

“UP Technical Education Services-2021 exams were also postponed. Repeatedly postponing exams, ruining the future of youth through paper leak and corruption has become the policy of the BJP government,” she added.

Competitive students are also opposing the proposal to conduct the UPPCS exam in two days. Their argument is justified that if the same exam is held in two days, then the game of scaling will start again under the guise of normalisation. On one hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party is ruining the future of the youth and, on the other, by not giving jobs, it is also snatching the right to reservation from the backward, Dalits and deprived, she added.