Dehradun: The Revenue Sub-Inspector (Patwari/Lekhpal) Examination-2022 was conducted "peacefully" on Sunday amid tight security at various examination centers across the state, the official said.
"The recruitment examination conducted for a total of 563 posts of Patwari and Lekhpal in the state was completed peacefully on Sunday," the official statement from the Chief Minister's office said.
It further said that a total of 65.6 per cent of candidates appeared in the examination.
Uttarakhand ACS (Home) Radha Raturi told ANI that the strict anti-copying law has come into force in the state which has provision to take strict action against those who spread any rumours/misinformation regarding exams.
"Uttarakhand Patwari Exam conducted peacefully in the state today. The strict anti-copying law has come into force in the state. The law has the provision to take strict action against those who spread any rumours/misinformation regarding exams," Uttarakhand ACS (Home) Radha Raturi.
Congratulating the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission as well as the administration on the completion of the examination, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the state government will not allow the youth to be harmed.
"India's strictest anti-copying law has been enacted in the state to crack down on the copying mafia. In the new ordinance, the accused will be behind bars, provisions have been made to confiscate their properties and impose heavy fines," he added.
While talking to ANI, Dhami said that the anti-copying law will be strictly implemented in every examination to be held in the state.
On Sunday, the recruitment examination for 172 posts of Lekhpal and 391 posts of Patwari was organized at various examination centers of the state. Out of the total of 1,58,210 registered candidates, 1,03,730 candidates appeared in the examination. Earlier, the exam for the said posts was conducted on January 8 this year, but after receiving the complaint of paper leak, the above examination was canceled and the examination was conducted again on Sunday. Uttarakhand recently faced a major paper leak case in December. The case pertains to a written exam conducted by the UKSSSC in December 2021.
It was one of the major examinations conducted by the commission for 854 posts across 13 departments.
However, there were widespread allegations of irregularities in the conduct of the test. Following these allegations, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami called for a probe and strict action against those guilty.
Following this, the secretary of the commission was removed from the post. A Special Task Force (STF) was also constituted to investigate the alleged irregularities.
After the Uttarakhand State Subordinate Service Selection Commission was caught up in a paper leak case, the government asked the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission to conduct recruitment exams.
However, UKPSC officials were also arrested for their alleged involvement in the UKPSC Paper leak for the Patwari Lekhpal exam, which was conducted on January 8, 2023. As of now, a total of four people have been arrested in the case.
Taking a strong stand against the alleged recruitment scams and paper leak cases, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday said that those who will cheat in examinations will be given life imprisonment or undergo a sentence of 10 years.
"Our government will not compromise with the dreams and aspirations of the youth. Now anyone who will be found cheating in the recruitment exam will be given life imprisonment and 10 years of imprisonment. Along with this, their property will also be confiscated," he said while addressing a sports and cultural festival in Kalsi. —ANI