Yearender: From NEET UG to UP Police Constable Exam, here are 7 major paper leak cases of 2024

India, the seventh-largest country in the world, is home to approximately 1.43 billion people. With such a vast population, it’s no surprise that the country's education, examination, and employment systems are equally expansive. Every year, lakhs of students appear for various national exams, whether for higher education or recruitment. While most exams proceed without incident, it is not uncommon for one to be cancelled or postponed due to alleged paper leaks. In fact, in 2024, multiple entrance and recruitment exams were cancelled or delayed amid such controversies. The NEET UG 2024 scandal is just one example of several similar cases this year. Today, we’ve compiled a few notable instances where alleged paper leaks caused disruption. Let’s dive in.

NEET UG 2024

The NEET UG 2024 exam, held on May 5 for over 24 lakh students, sparked controversy after allegations of a question paper leak and irregularities. After the results were released on June 4, concerns arose over grace marks awarded to 1,563 students and an unusually high number of toppers. Protests erupted nationwide, and petitions were filed with the Supreme Court demanding a re-test and re-evaluation.

On June 13, the Supreme Court ordered a re-examination for students receiving grace marks while emphasizing fairness. Despite initial denials, the Education Minister later admitted to lapses in security protocols. Investigations into alleged paper leaks in Hazaribagh and Patna were handed over to state police, with the court seeking detailed reports.

On July 24, the Supreme Court dismissed pleas for a nationwide re-test, citing a lack of systemic issues and potential disruption to academic schedules. While it acknowledged isolated incidents of malpractice, it stressed the need for a thorough investigation without affecting millions of students.

UGC NET 2024

Amid the NEET controversy, the UGC NET June 2024 exam, held on June 18, was cancelled due to widespread irregularities. Issues included hologram stickers for identity verification being attached post-exam in Prayagraj and candidates in Bihar’s Danapur being detained after biometric data was lost. Additionally, candidates were allowed to take admit cards home, which violated NTA guidelines and raised concerns over verification lapses. Poor infrastructure worsened the situation, with heatwave conditions, insufficient water, and inadequate ventilation reported at multiple centers.

For the first time since 2018, the UGC NET was conducted offline in OMR mode instead of the Computer-Based Test (CBT), leading to errors and delays. These systemic failures have highlighted the urgent need for reform in India’s examination system to ensure fairness, reliability, and student well-being.

Bihar CHO Exam 2024

The Bihar State Health Society (BSHS) cancelled the Community Health Officer (CHO) recruitment examination scheduled for December 1 and 2, 2024. The decision stemmed from allegations of widespread paper leaks and irregularities in the online examination process.

Media reports revealed that Patna Police conducted extensive raids at 12 examination centers suspected of being involved in the paper leak. Over 12 individuals were detained for questioning, and two centers were sealed as evidence mounted against them. A WhatsApp chat about the CHO exam, allegedly leaked two days before the examination, triggered the investigation. Authorities are interrogating those in custody to trace the source of the leak and prevent future irregularities.

MBBS Paper Leaks

In Nagpur, MBBS second-year students faced disruption for the third time in December when their fourth paper was delayed by over an hour and a half due to paper leak allegations. The exam, scheduled to begin at 1:30 pm, only commenced around 3 pm after the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) dispatched a fresh set of question papers following an email claiming a paper leak.

MUHS Vice Chancellor Dr. Madhuri Kanitkar told TOI that announcing a re-exam every time is not feasible. "On Monday, we received a complaint about a paper leak. Allegations surfaced during the first paper as well. As a backup plan, we decided to delay the paper by an hour and hold it the same day since a re-exam is difficult," she said. Kanitkar added that a fresh question set was given in the pharmacology II paper as a precautionary measure. "An FIR has been lodged, and a three-level inquiry is underway," she stated.

BPSC 70th CCE Paper Leak

The latest addition to these controversies is the BPSC 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024. On December 24, hundreds of candidates protested demanding the cancellation of the BPSC 70th CCE examination due to an alleged question paper leak during the December 13th examination.

On December 24, BPSC Chairperson Parmar Rai Manubhai ruled out the cancellation of the 70th CCE 2024, as reported by PTI. However, he clarified that the commission would proceed with a re-examination for candidates assigned to the Bapu Pariksha Parisar examination center on December 13. The re-examination is scheduled for January 4, 2025, and the commission has released an official notice regarding the same. Despite this, many candidates continue to demand the cancellation of the examination.

Chhattisgarh Constable Recruitment Examination

On December 25, the Chhattisgarh government cancelled the police constable recruitment process in Rajnandgaon district amid allegations of irregularities, and set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the matter, according to PTI. "Irregularities came to light in the ongoing recruitment process in the 8th Battalion of Rajnandgaon, and a case was registered in connection with it at Lalbagh police station on December 17," an official stated, as reported by PTI. Since November 16, candidates from Rajnandgaon, Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai, Kabirdham (Kawardha), and Mohla-Manpur-Ambagadh Chowki districts had been participating in the recruitment process.

The police have so far arrested seven individuals, including four police constables, two employees of the event management company, and one female candidate, in connection with the alleged irregularities.

UP Police Constable Recruitment 2024

In February, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the cancellation of the UP Police constable recruitment exam 2024, originally held on February 17 and 18, after candidates staged massive protests claiming that the exam’s integrity had been compromised with the question paper going viral on social media hours before the start of the exam. Candidates alleged that the paper was available between ₹50,000 and ₹2 lakh and that many candidates had access to it 8-12 hours before the exam. According to officials, as many as 244 people were arrested for fraudulent activities during the recruitment exam. The re-examination was conducted from August 23 to August 31, 2024.

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