CBI registers FIR, initiates probe into UGC-NET paper leak case

NEW DELHI: The CBI registered an FIR into the UGC-NET paper leak case on Thursday against unidentified persons on a reference from the Union Education Ministry, officials said.

The facts of the complaint prima facie disclose the commission of offences punishable under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code against unknown accused, the FIR stated.

The UGC-NET 2024 exam for the selection of junior research fellows, assistant professors and PhD scholars was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on June 18 in two shifts across the country.

The next day, the University Grants Commission received input from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (l4C) that the paper was available on the darknet and was allegedly being sold for Rs 5–6 lakh on messaging platforms, sources said.

They said the CBI will work in close coordination with the I4C while initiating its own darknet exploration softwares and systems to nail down the perpetrators.

“It has been alleged in the complaint that the University Grants Commission (UGC) received input from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analysis Unit of the Indian Cyber Crime Co-ordination Centre (I4C) under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs that the integrity of the UGC Net 2024 Examination, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) in two shifts across different cities in the country, may have been compromised,” a senior CBI official said.

According to the complaint from the Education Ministry, the inputs from I4C, which functions under the Union Home Ministry, “prima-facie indicate that the integrity of the examination may have been compromised”, officials said.

“To ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity of the examination process, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, has decided to cancel the aforesaid examination and to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a thorough investigation in the matter,” the reference note from the Secretary, Education Ministry, K Sanjay Murthy, said.

The reference note is now part of the FIR.