Case file · UPPRPB · surfaced 18 Feb 2024

UP Police constable exam leak: 48 lakh candidates, exam scrapped

Stalled documented status: Arrests made

Confidence C — based on the press record (archived below). No primary documents on file yet; treat names of agencies, dates and figures as reported, not established.

More than 48 lakh candidates wrote the UP Police constable recruitment exam on 17–18 February 2024 for 60,244 posts. After question papers circulated before the test, the state government cancelled the exam on 24 February, ordered an STF probe and FIRs, and promised a re-test within six months with free bus travel for candidates. Over 240 people had been arrested or detained across the state for using or planning unfair means. The re-exam was held in August 2024.

Examination: Police Constable Recruitment 2023-24
Conducting body: U.P. Police Recruitment & Promotion Board (UPPRPB)
Exam date: 17 Feb 2024
Leak date (as documented): 17 Feb 2024
Surfaced: 18 Feb 2024
States: Uttar Pradesh
Candidates affected: ~48.0 lakh
Leak vector: In transit
State govt at the time: BJP
Last reviewed: 11 Jun 2026

Stall clock — no docket movement for

837

days (2y 107d) · last movement 2024-02-25

Accountability Gap Index

national average 0.97 / 7 · how this is scored →

1 / 7

✓ FIR within 30 days
✗ Charge sheet within 180 days
✗ Any conviction
✗ Exam cancelled & fully re-held
✗ Fee refund documented
✗ Official permanently removed
✗ Reform gazette-notified

Each milestone scores one point only when the register holds a document for it. The gap is what the missing points describe.

How it surfaced

Who found it

Social media circulation

Answer keys and paper images circulated on Telegram during the two exam days; candidate complaints and press reporting forced the issue.

The conducting body's first response

Acknowledged it

The state government cancelled the entire examination (48 lakh candidates) within six days and ordered a re-exam within six months with free transport for candidates.

The docket

Every legal action on record, in order. Each row cites its document.

23 Feb 2024

Arrest · UP Police (districts)

240+ persons arrested or detained across districts for adopting or planning unfair means.

per: UP cancels police constable recruitment exam, orders re-test in 6 months (NDTV, 24 Feb 2024)
24 Feb 2024

Exam cancelled · Government of Uttar Pradesh

Exam cancelled; recruitment board directed to register FIRs at the level where laxity occurred; STF probe ordered.

per: UP cancels police constable recruitment exam, orders re-test in 6 months (NDTV, 24 Feb 2024)
25 Feb 2024

FIR registered · UPPRPB / district police

FIRs registered on government direction; STF took up the leak investigation.

per: UP Police constable recruitment exam cancelled days after paper leak (India Today, 24 Feb 2024)

What candidates got

Outcome	Ordered by	Order date	Detail
Exam cancelled (full)	Government of Uttar Pradesh	24 Feb 2024	—
Re-exam held	Government of Uttar Pradesh	24 Feb 2024 → 23 Aug 2024	Re-examination conducted on 23–31 August 2024.

The investigation trail

Every SIT, committee and inquiry announced for this case — and whether its report ever became public.

UP STF probe (178 cases statewide)

Formed 24 Feb 2024 · by Government of Uttar Pradesh

Report status: not made public · 838 days elapsed

397 arrests across the constable and RO/ARO cases by March 2025; no consolidated report has been published.

What it cost candidates

₹192 crore estimated

The workings

48 lakh candidates × Rs 400 fee = Rs 192 crore in fees; the August 2024 re-exam ran over five days. The state announced free bus travel for the re-exam — an implicit admission of the travel cost candidates bore the first time.

Wage loss for two exam trips is excluded for want of a sourced estimate.

no fee refund documented No refund; free state-bus travel was provided for the re-exam instead.

methodology →

per: UPPRPB notification (fee); reported registration figures.

Sources on file

Tier 2 · reported UP cancels police constable recruitment exam, orders re-test in 6 months — NDTV · 24 Feb 2024 [archived]
Tier 2 · reported UP Police constable recruitment exam cancelled days after paper leak — India Today · 24 Feb 2024 [archived]

Status log

Every status this register has ever assigned to this case. Append-only.

18 Feb 2024	ALLEGED	Allegations surfaced publicly.
23 Feb 2024	ALLEGED → ARRESTS_MADE	240+ persons arrested or detained across districts for adopting or planning unfair means.

Act on this record

File an RTI on this case pre-filled from the docket · RTI Act 2005 · ₹10 fee

The application below is pre-filled from this case file. Add your name and address, then send it to the Public Information Officer of UPPRPB / district police — online via rtionline.gov.in (central bodies) or your state RTI portal.

To: The Public Information Officer,
UPPRPB / district police

Subject: Request under the Right to Information Act, 2005 — UP Police constable exam leak: 48 lakh candidates, exam scrapped

Under the Right to Information Act 2005, I request the following information:

1. Current status of FIR No. [number] dated 25 Feb 2024 concerning the question paper leak in Police Constable Recruitment 2023-24.
2. Whether a charge sheet has been filed in this matter; if yes, its date and the court where it was filed.
3. Names and current postings of all officials suspended in connection with this matter.
4. Whether any suspended official has been reinstated; if yes, the order reference and date.
5. Date and outcome of the last court hearing in this matter.

I am enclosing the application fee of Rs. 10 as required. If this application falls outside your office's purview, kindly transfer it under Section 6(3) of the Act and inform me.

Regards,
[Applicant name]
[Address]
[Date]

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