Students and civil services aspirants in Uttar Pradesh have mounted a fierce protest in Prayagraj against the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC), alleging irregularities, lack of transparency and unfair marking in recent recruitment examinations while demanding clear disclosure of cut‑offs, answer sheets and marks for all candidates.
In recent days, hundreds of aspirants preparing for PCS, RO‑ARO and other state‑level civil services exams have converged outside the UPPSC headquarters in Prayagraj, turning the commission’s gate into an extended protest site.
Many travelled from distant districts to join the sit‑in, holding placards, chanting slogans and calling for “pariksha mein imandari” – honesty in examinations – as police erected barricades and diverted traffic to prevent any escalation.
Protesters allege that several recent exams suffer from serious discrepancies, from answer‑key errors to arbitrary cut‑offs that, in their view, do not reflect the pattern of questions or performance on the ground.
Their core demands include the publication of category‑wise cut‑off marks, the release of individual answer sheets and marks for all candidates, and timely rectification of alleged mistakes in official answer keys.
Students insist they are not asking for relaxation of standards or back‑door recruitment but only a process that is transparent, predictable and accountable to those who invest years of their youth in preparation.
Students’ Anger, Officials’ Defence
For many aspirants, this round of protests is the outcome of accumulated frustration: delayed exam calendars, sudden schedule changes and long waits between preliminary and mains results have already strained morale.
Several candidates say they feel “cheated” when results are released without clear disclosure of marks, making it impossible to understand whether they fell short due to performance, scaling or alleged errors in evaluation.
Some shared that they had written multiple attempts over the years, only to face the same opacity each time, which they believe robs them not just of opportunities but of mental peace and financial stability.
On the other side, police and administrative officials maintain that they are working to keep the situation under control and ensure there is no disruption to public order.
Police officers stationed at the protest site have reportedly claimed that there was no lathicharge on aspirants, rejecting allegations of brutality as “false and baseless”, and stating that personnel were only trying to counsel students and clear blocked roads.
Authorities argue that while peaceful protest is a democratic right, blocking major routes or attempting to breach barricades forces law‑enforcement agencies to intervene in order to protect commuters and public property.
Political Reactions And Wider Context
The agitation has quickly drawn political attention, with opposition leaders accusing the state government of insensitivity towards unemployed youth and mishandling of peaceful demonstrations.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has strongly criticised the government, alleging that police misbehaved with aspirants, pulled their hair and assaulted them, and sharing video clips that he claims show high‑handedness against protesters pleading for fair recruitment.
He has portrayed the episode as yet another example of what he describes as the “arrogance of power”, asserting that a government that cannot offer jobs should at least not “insult” those who are preparing for them.
These protests come against the backdrop of repeated nationwide debates about the integrity of competitive examinations, including paper leaks, delays and allegations of favouritism in different states.
In Uttar Pradesh, previous controversies around exam calendars and evaluation practices have already dented faith in recruitment bodies among sections of the youth, who see public sector jobs as one of the few stable career paths in an uncertain economy.
The current agitation in Prayagraj, therefore, is not just about one exam cycle but reflects deeper anxieties over fairness, opportunity and institutional credibility for an entire generation of aspirants.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The unfolding events in Prayagraj highlight a critical truth: in a society where government jobs remain a lifeline for millions, even a perception of unfairness in recruitment can break the social contract between institutions and citizens.
When young people believe that years of disciplined study can be undone by opaque processes, errors or a lack of communication, anger and despair are natural outcomes – but these emotions must be met with empathy, dialogue and genuine reform, not force or dismissive statements.
The Logical Indian believes that the UPPSC and the state government must treat this moment as an opportunity to rebuild trust: by publishing detailed cut‑offs, answer keys and marks proactively, opening channels for grievance redressal, and ensuring that policing of protests remains restrained, humane and respectful of democratic rights.
At the same time, political actors and civil society share a responsibility to keep the discourse focused on solutions rather than polarisation, so that the core demand – a clean, transparent and timely examination system – is not lost in partisan noise.
