Over 2.71 lakh skip UP police recruitment exam on day 4; 94 suspicious candidates under scrutiny
Twenty-two people arrested for impersonation, using unfair means, fudging marksheets/identity cards as well as reappearing in the ongoing exam; 19 cases filed in the matter
LUCKNOW Over 2.71 lakh candidates (nearly 28.2%) skipped the UP Police constable recruitment exam held across 1,174 examination centres in 67 districts of the state under tight security that included biometric verification, fingerprint and facial recognition, on the fourth day on Friday..
As many as 94 suspicious candidates found across the state were under scrutiny. The board allowed them to appear in the examination but their credentials were being crosschecked. Legal action will be taken against them, if their details were not found correct, said UP Police Recruitment and Promotion Board (UPPRPB) officials.
This exam was scheduled in two shifts spread over five days -- August 23, 24, 25 and August 30 and 31. The same exam was held on February 17 and 18, but cancelled on February 24 after a question paper leak. As many 178 FIRs in 41 districts across UP were registered in connection with the paper leak and over 400 people, including two alleged masterminds, were arrested from Gautam Buddh Nagar.
On the fourth day, 6,77,933 candidates out of a total 9,63,613 appeared in the exam in two shifts, board officials confirmed.
UPPRPB officials said 4,81,838 candidates in the first shift and 4,81,775 in the second were scheduled to appear in the recruitment examination on Friday. But only 3,44,590 appeared in the first shift and 3.47,346 candidates appeared in the second shift on Friday.
“As per this figure, around 28.2% of candidates skipped the exam in both the shifts,” the officials added.
Officials said 4,01,870 candidates of the first shift and 4,01,972 of the second shift downloaded their admit cards from the UPPRPB website out of the total 4,81,838 and 4,81,775 candidates in first and second shifts, respectively. “So, 8,03,842 candidates of the total 9,63,613 candidates to appear in two shifts on Friday downloaded their admit cards,” he said.
Meanwhile, 94 suspicious candidates, whose credentials did not match with the original documents, were detected across the state. Among them, 61 suspicious candidates were detected in the first shift and 33 suspicious candidates during the second shift.
Notably, 48,17,441 (48.17 lakh) candidates had applied to appear in the written examination for 60,244 posts of UP Police constables. The board had issued instructions in advance to around 20,000 suspicious candidates, whose Aadhaar authentication could not be processed online, to bring proper identity proof to get the same verified at the examination centres. They were asked to carry documents, including PAN card, driving licence, passport or original copy of their Aadhaar card for the verification.
On Friday, 22 people were arrested for impersonation, using unfair means, fudging marksheets/identity cards as well as reappearing in the ongoing exam while 19 cases were filed in the matter, said officials.
Earlier, 39 candidates were arrested for impersonation and using unfair means and 34 cases were lodged in the matter in the three days of the first phase of the exam on August 23, 24 and 25. Officials said five people were arrested in five districts on the first day, 20 were arrested and 17 cases were registered in different districts on the second day, and 14 people were arrested and 12 cases registered on the third day.
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