In the wake of the recent Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) question paper leak case, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has asserted that strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty. The incident, involving the alleged leak of three pages of a question paper from the graduate-level examination held on September 21, 2025, has sparked outrage and prompted a swift response from the state government.

Following the surfacing of screenshots of the question paper on social media shortly after the commencement of the examination, the government initiated a probe to investigate the matter. Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajay Singh formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter. The investigation led to the arrest of Khalid Malik, identified as the main accused in the paper leak, from the Laksar area of Haridwar. Malik, who was a candidate in the exam, allegedly used a device to photograph the question paper inside the examination center and sent the images to his sister, Sabia, who was arrested earlier.

Rishikesh Superintendent of Police (SP) Jaya Baluni, the investigating officer, stated that the evidence clearly established Khalid's role in the leak. According to Baluni, Sabia sent the paper to Suman, an assistant professor in Tehri, and obtained answers for Khalid. The principal of the examination center, the room inspector, and those responsible for installing the jammer have also been questioned.

Chief Minister Dhami has emphasized that his government will not spare anyone involved in exam malpractice. He has accused a "cheating mafia" of conspiring to defame the Uttarakhand government, alleging that individuals upset with the government's strict anti-cheating laws are attempting to undermine its efforts. Dhami has also stated that the alleged leak was a conspiracy to defame the state government. Echoing Dhami, former Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat said that those who endanger the future of hardworking and studious students by leaking question papers won't be spared.

The Uttarakhand government has framed a case under the Uttarakhand Competitive Examination (Prevention and Control of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Ordinance, 2023. Home Secretary Shailesh Bagoli has stated that the government will take the strictest possible action in this case under the new ordinance.

The government's response began even before the examination commenced. On Saturday, the Special Task Force and Dehradun Police arrested two key suspects, Hakam Singh and Pankaj Gaur, who were allegedly promising candidates the leaked question paper in exchange for substantial sums. The arrest of Hakam Singh, who had previously been involved in the 2021 UKSSSC paper leak case, demonstrates the government's determination to prevent repeat offenders from operating.

SSP Ajay Singh clarified that the investigation has not revealed any organized gang behind the leak, suggesting that it was an isolated incident involving individual misconduct. He stated that someone had sent screenshots of some questions in a planned manner.

The Uttarakhand Competitive Examination Act of 2023 represents a landmark in establishing the strongest anti-cheating framework in India. The government's decisive response to the UKSSSC paper leak demonstrates its zero-tolerance policy against examination fraud and its commitment to maintaining examination integrity at every level of governance.