In Uttarakhand, protests erupted following a paper leak in the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) graduate-level examination held on September 21, 2025. Students across the state launched massive protests, prompting the government to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the supervision of a retired High Court judge to investigate the leak. Dissatisfied, the students demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the protestors at Parade Ground in Dehradun, making an emotional appeal and assuring them of a CBI probe. Dhami stated he understood the youth of Uttarakhand worked hard to prepare for government jobs. Addressing the gathering, Dhami said that since the youth are demanding a CBI inquiry, the government will recommend a CBI probe in the matter and there will be no obstacles in the process.
Following the Chief Minister's intervention, the demonstrators called off their strike until October 10, with the option to reconvene if their demands remained unmet. Tribhuvan Chauhan of the Swabhiman Morcha stated that the protests across the state would be suspended until then.
The opposition Congress party, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the announcement and planned to proceed with their march to the CM's residence on October 3. Suryakant Dhasmana, a senior vice-president of the state Congress unit, said the party believes such recommendations have been made before.
Amid the protests, CM Dhami alleged that some individuals were conspiring to leak the paper in order to destroy the future of the youth. He went as far as to term the situation a "nakal jihad" (cheating jihad), claiming that coaching mafias and cheating syndicates were collectively working to spread "nakal jihad" and disrupt exams. This remark drew criticism from the Congress party, who accused Dhami of giving a communal color to a sensitive matter.
Several arrests have been made in connection with the paper leak, including a sibling duo. Additionally, two policemen and a teacher were suspended for their alleged involvement. Hakam Singh, the alleged mastermind of previous paper leak scams, was arrested on September 20. Police claimed he was promising a question paper to an aspirant for ₹15 lakh.
CM Dhami emphasized his government's zero-tolerance policy towards irregularities in recruitment examinations, assuring that no injustice would be done to the youth and that his government was ready for any probe into the UKSSSC paper leak. He also cautioned against individuals exploiting the protests for personal gain, emphasizing their commitment to transparent appointments. Dhami highlighted that over 25,000 appointments have already been made without malpractice.
Dhami stated that for the betterment of youth, he can not only bow down but also sacrifice his head. He accused unnamed actors of attempting to use the student protests to disturb law and order, alleging they wanted to use the youth as a shield to "create unrest in the state" for political gains. BJP state spokesperson Honey Pathak said Dhami's move reflected rare foresight and sensitivity towards student welfare.
