October 2025 Editorial: Uttarakhand exam leak exposes security gaps

Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s decision to recommend a CBI probe into the 21 September incident comes as protests erupted across Uttarakhand, reflecting widespread frustration among aspirants whose futures rest on government exams. 

Despite Dhami’s announcement of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation, the incident has raised troubling questions about how such breaches continue to occur in systems that are meant to be watertight. Within just half an hour of the exam beginning, several pages appeared online, sparking widespread protests across Uttarakhand and deep frustration among thousands of job-seeking aspirants who depend on fair and transparent recruitment examinations.

This is not the first such case in the state. In December 2021, the UKSSSC was caught in a paper leak scandal linked to a Lucknow-based printing press where exam papers were allegedly sold for large sums of money. In 2023, the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission cancelled its patwari and accountant exams after malpractice allegations surfaced. Reports now suggest that the latest breach in September 2025 may have originated in Haridwar, where a candidate is believed to have photographed the question paper inside an examination hall and circulated it digitally. In response, the police suspended two officers and a college professor for security lapses, while the commission has postponed upcoming exams to rebuild public trust.

The printing of examination papers is supposed to be carried out under secure conditions, but vulnerabilities remain at multiple stages including storage, transport, and distribution to local centres. Even highly monitored printing facilities cannot guarantee safety if the chain of custody is weak or if human collusion takes place. While technologies such as variable-data printing, digital watermarking, QR-coded bundles, and GPS-tracked containers already exist, they are rarely used at full potential. Experts note that on-demand encrypted printing at local hubs could reduce exposure, but many examination boards continue to prioritise cost over security and rely on low-bid vendors with limited compliance checks.

The chief minister’s decision to involve the CBI reflects the growing demand for independent oversight. A Special Investigation Team led by a retired High Court judge will continue its inquiry, but public confidence remains fragile. Protesters have called for greater transparency, while student groups insist that without strict accountability, the same failures will repeat themselves. Observers point out that real change will only come when secure printing is treated as a governance function rather than a procedural task.

Industry experts have begun to highlight the urgent need for reform. Ranesh Bajaj of Vinsak explained that India does not currently have a dedicated certifying authority for security printers, apart from the Indian Banks’ Association certification that applies only to cheque printing. He argued that the government must establish a national body to define and enforce security printing standards. Bajaj also noted that the majority of leaks occur outside the small group of established, reputable security printers, reinforcing the importance of selecting vendors based on capability rather than cost.

Ankit Gupta, president of the Authentication Solution Providers’ Association and joint managing director of Holostik India, added that incidents like the UKSSSC leak underline the need to strengthen India’s document authentication ecosystem. He said that a combination of physical, digital, and phygital authentication technologies could close existing loopholes and ensure end-to-end traceability from the printing press to the examination hall. According to him, secure holographic features, tamper-evident packing, and digital verification through QR codes or blockchain-based systems can significantly improve accountability.

Both experts agreed that the solutions already exist but adoption remains slow and fragmented. They urged examination authorities to implement integrated security frameworks with regular audits, certified printers, and advanced data encryption protocols. Unless the process is made transparent and professionally regulated, India risks seeing the same cycle of leaks, outrage, and lost trust repeat year after year.