Lucknow: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that his Government will book the culprits who leaked UPTET question paper under the National Security Act and Gangster Act.

Government cancelled the UPTET exam which was scheduled to be held on Sunday was cancelled after a question paper for the exam was leaked an officer here announced shortly before the exam was to begin. Yogi Adityanath also ordered reconvening of the exam within a month.

According to the UP Additional DG Law and Order Prasanth Kumar said the UP STF arrested 23 people last night using technical and other intelligence from different cities of the State. A question paper was leaked. I issued an order to cancel the examination and arrest the entire racket. Instructions were also given to conduct the exam within a month, and that no candidate should be charged additional fee, he said addressing a function in Deoria district.

Orders were given to transport the students back to their home towns in UPSRTC buses free of cost on the basis of their admit cards, Yogi said. CM in a tweet said that properties will be seized by the government of those involved in the leak. Nearly 20 lakh candidates were to appear for the UPTET on Sunday.

Those arrested included four from Lucknow, 13 from Prayagraj, three by the Meerut STF and one from Kaushambi district, said ADG. A photocopy of the question paper was obtained from them, which was shared with the Government.

It came to light that the copy bore the same set of questions as did the official question paper, he said. The question paper of the examination had not reached the examination centres till Sunday morning. Items seized from accused included mobile phones and photocopy of question papers.

ADG said apart from UP some people of Bihar have also been caught in this matter. Either the solver gang leaks the question paper, or a solver (person impersonating the candidate) appears instead of the candidate adding more arrests will be made. Those who have played with the future of our young brothers and sisters will not be spared.

People who have caused inconvenience to you will be definitely punished. Your government is committed to conduct the exams in a fair and transparent manner. Satish Dwivedi UP Basic Education Minister Satish Dwivedi said the exam in both shifts was cancelled immediately after the leak came to surface and promised a strict action against the culprits.