UP scraps last year's Assistant Professor exam following paper leak, irregularities

The Uttar Pradesh government has cancelled the Assistant Professor recruitment examination conducted last year after an official inquiry confirmed serious irregularities, including a leak of the question paper, an official statement said on Wednesday.

"CM Yogi Adityanath takes a major decision in the interest of the candidates. The UP government has ordered the cancellation of the Assistant Professor examination keeping in mind the future of the candidates," said the UP Chief Minister's Office.

The decision follows a detailed investigation by the state’s Special Task Force (STF), which found that the integrity of the examination held on April 16 and 17, 2025, had been compromised. Acting on intelligence inputs regarding organised malpractice, the chief minister ordered a confidential inquiry, after which the government moved to annul the entire recruitment process.


Based on the findings, the Yogi Adityanath government has directed the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) to announce fresh examination dates at the earliest and ensure that the rescheduled test is conducted in a transparent and secure manner.

According to officials, the STF uncovered a network that was involved in preparing fake question papers and cheating candidates during the recruitment process. Three accused, Mehboob Ali, Baijnath Pal and Vinay Pal, were arrested on April 20 for their alleged role in manipulating the examination and extorting money from aspirants.

An FIR has been registered at Vibhutikhand police station in Lucknow under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

During interrogation, Mehboob Ali, who was working as a confidential assistant to the then UPESSC chairperson, allegedly admitted to accessing question papers of several subjects during the moderation process and sharing them with candidates in exchange for money.

Moreover, investigators said Ali's confession was backed by technical evidence and data analysis.

"The Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission should ensure that the examination is conducted fairly and transparently as soon as possible," the CMO statement added.

The cancelled examination had drawn applications from nearly 1.14 lakh candidates, while the recruitment drive aimed to fill 1,017 Assistant Professor vacancies in government-aided degree colleges across the northern state.

UPPSC Assistant Professor recruitment: Key details

For the Assistant Professor posts, candidates are required to hold a postgraduate degree in the relevant discipline approved by the Medical Council of India, along with a minimum of three years of teaching experience.

The selection process consists of shortlisting based on academic qualifications followed by an interview, with no written examination involved.

The application fee for general and OBC candidates is Rs 105, while SC and ST applicants pay Rs 65. Selected candidates will be appointed in Pay Level-11, with a starting salary of Rs 68,900.

Further details regarding the revised examination schedule and recruitment process will be made available on the UPPSC’s official website — uppsc.up.nic.in.