By Madhav Kandhari: Protests by government job aspirants in Uttarakhand, which began in Dehradun, have now spread to Uttarkashi, Shivnagar, Srinagar, and Gopeshwar, with students staging
hunger strikes in Haldwani. Thousands of candidates have been protesting across the
state for the past seven days following a paper leak in the government recruitment
exam held on Sunday.
Alleged Paper Leak in UKSSSC Exam
The Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC) had scheduled the written exam for graduate-level posts to begin at 11:00 a.m. on 21 September and end at 1:00 p.m. However, Bobby Panwar, a member of the Uttarakhand Berojgar Sangh, alleged that the paper was leaked half an hour before the exam started. Ram Kandwal, president of Uttarakhand Berojgar Sangh, claimed the paper
leak originated from the Haridwar center. Some aspirants also alleged that in certain centers in Dehradun, such as Graphic Era University and others in Vikas Nagar, the exam began as early as 10:30 a.m., 30 minutes before the official start time, with cardboard covering CCTV cameras in some classrooms.
Protest Mobilization
The protests initially began at the Dehradun Parade Ground on 21 September after the exam and quickly spread to several other locations across Uttarakhand. Despite the implementation of an anti-cheating la w in 2023, the UKSSSC exam was reportedly leaked, sparking widespread anger among job
seekers.
Aspirants’ Demands
The protesting aspirants have made three key demands:
- Cancel the current examination.
- Conduct the exam again within one month.
- Hand over the investigation of the paper leak to the CBI and ensure the responsible UKSSSC officials resign.
Investigation and Arrests
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by a retired High Court judge, has started an investigation and is tasked with submitting a report within one month. Two days before the exam, Dehradun police arrested Hakam Singh, a former BJP leader, and Pankaj Gaur for allegedly promising aspirants jobs in exchange for bribes totaling ₹12 lakh.
Government Response
Addressing the issue at an event on Wednesday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that since 2023, more than 100 people have been arrested in cases related to cheating in exams. He added that after the state implemented strict anti-cheating laws, cheating rackets and coaching centers had joined forces, running what he called a “Nakal (cheating) jihad.”
Political Reactions
Extending his full support to students protesting against a recent paper leak in Uttarakhand, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday (September 26, 2025) said unemployment is directly linked to “vote chori”, and alleged that the other name of BJP is “paper chor”.
The Congress leader alleged that “the ‘paper chors’ know that even if the youth don’t get jobs, they will remain in power by stealing votes during elections”
https://thenewstudent.com/free-hpv-vaccination-rajasthan-schools-2025/