MUMBAI: The three-language committee concluded its tour of Maharashtra on Friday with a final public consultation at Y B Chavan Centre at Nariman Point. Educationists, teachers, activists and students shared a range of views, but two demands surfaced repeatedly: make Marathi compulsory up to Class 12, and the teaching of Hindi from Class 5. Civic school teacher Anil Dahiya reiterated this point, prompting committee chairman Narendra Jadhav to note that science students had previously reported difficulty coping with higher-level Marathi after Class 10. To address this, the panel is considering a lower-level Marathi syllabus for students from science streams.The six-member panel has toured most of the state, taking suggestions on what should be the formula for teaching languages. Other suggestions reflected a diversity of perspectives. A teacher from Chhabildas High School in Dadar proposed offering classical Indian languages such as Pali and Prakrit as optional subjects from Class 9. Minal Surve, from a city junior college, argued only one language should remain compulsory after Class 10, saying students often swap a second language for ICT or computer science, leaving Marathi and Hindi neglected.Madhav Suryavanshi of Shikshan Vikas Manch suggested that while all three languages-Marathi, Hindi, and English-should remain compulsory until Class 12, Hindi as a third language could be introduced only from Class 5. Jadhav also spoke about offering languages in a self-taught, online format, with partial credit awarded to students similar to physical education assessments.Concerns over Hindi were raised. An activist said students who choose lower-level Hindi, or drop it, face a disadvantage in competitive exams like MPSC, which require a Hindi paper. Jadhav responded that in such cases, Hindi has effectively been “imposed” and the requirement be reconsidered.Several participants, including teacher Mumtaz Haq, supported early exposure to all three languages, provided it is delivered through stories, audio-visual methods, and a play-way approach, avoiding exams or undue pressure on younger students.

Black Friday-to-Cyber Monday sales in India are seeing strong traction this year, with retailers and company executives reporting a 20–25% increase compared with last year. The surge started early, as brands began their promotions a week before Black Friday and plan to keep offers running beyond Cyber Monday. Platforms such as Tata CLiQ, Nykaa, Flipkart, Croma, and Samsung rolled out early deals, indicating that consumer demand remains strong even weeks after the Diwali shopping season.Vijay Sales director Nilesh Gupta said sales have risen 20–25% from last year’s Black Friday period. “However, as a standalone event, Black Friday is yet to become a big one like Republic Day or Independence Day when sales spike two-three times compared to a regular day,” he said, as quoted by ET. “In the case of Black Friday, the spike is around 50% over a regular day. It will take another two-three years for this to become a major sale event.“Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which originated in the US, have grown beyond electronics and beauty in India. Retailers say the week-long event is helping sustain the strong sales momentum seen during Navratri and after this year’s GST cuts.

More planned and premium purchases

Nishank Joshi, chief marketing officer at Nexus Select Malls, said, “What began as a single-day flash sale has now evolved into a full-fledged shopping week for many brands, signalling not just consumer enthusiasm, but the maturing of India’s retail landscape.” He added that the November boost helps when Diwali falls in October.Tanu Prasad, CEO–malls at Oberoi Realty, said shoppers are “seeing far more planned purchases, towards premium products and a rise in family-oriented outings.”Categories such as fashion, accessories, luggage and household goods are also seeing greater uptake. Tanisha Jatia, founder and brand lead at Urban Jungle, said, “We have seen a very real step-change through Black Friday, and we’re tracking at a little over three times our regular week for Urban Jungle,” as quoted by ET.High demand on ecommerce platforms led to temporary stockouts in some categories. “Stocks were an issue with some models getting sold out, but sellers are now fast replenishing stocks after seeing healthy demand,” said Avneet Singh Marwah, CEO at Super Plastronics, the maker of Kodak, Thomson and Blaupunkt TVs. He said large-screen TV sales are up 20% over last year, helped by the GST cut from 28% to 18%.

Retailers extend hours, deals to capture demand

Retailers are using extended store hours and special events to keep customers coming in. Croma held a late-night shopping window offering extra deals across select stores. Bhartiya Mall in Bengaluru said its Black Friday offers cover fashion, beauty, accessories, footwear and even food chains such as McDonald’s and Taco Bell.With Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions now stretched across nearly a week, retailers expect strong sales to continue through the end of the event.

Ruturaj Gaikwad (PTI Photo)

Ruturaj Gaikwad is back in the national colours and is eager to make an impact as India prepare to take on South Africa in their three-match ODI series. The batter expressed his excitement about returning to the international stage, describing it as a “good feeling” to don the blue again and contribute to the team’s efforts. Gaikwad’s inclusion comes in the absence of Shubman Gill, sidelined with a neck injury, and Shreyas Iyer, recovering from a spleen injury. The series, to be led by wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul, gets underway on Sunday at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi.Click here to watch India’s photoshoot session “It’s good to be back in blue and really looking forward to again playing for Team India,” Gaikwad said in a video shared by the BCCI on X during the team’s photoshoot session on Saturday.

The 28-year-old last appeared in an ODI on December 19, 2023, against South Africa in Gqeberha, while his most recent international appearance was in a T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare on July 13, 2024. India bowling coach Morne Morkel welcomed Gaikwad’s return, calling him “a quality player for a number of years” and expressing confidence that the batter would make the country proud if given the opportunity. Gaikwad earned his recall after impressive performances in the recent 50-over series against South Africa A in Rajkot. With Shreyas Iyer unavailable, he could be considered for the number four spot, though he faces competition from left-handers Tilak Varma and Rishabh Pant. Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal is expected to open alongside Rohit Sharma, taking over the role vacated by Shubman Gill. While Varma and Pant remain the frontrunners for the middle-order slot, Gaikwad’s form provides the team management with a valuable alternative as they finalise the batting line-up. After the series opener in Ranchi, the teams will face off in the remaining matches in Raipur and Visakhapatnam.

Chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar (ANI)

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Friday wrote to the West Bengal DGP and Kolkata police commissioner directing them to protect the booth level officers (BLOs) engaged in special intensive revision in the state, “from unruly political party workers” who may be pressurising and threatening them to add or delete certain electors from the roll.The communication followed EC’s meeting with a Trinamool Congress delegation here, during which chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar emphasised that the “pressure” faced by BLOs was not account of demands of SIR-related work, but due to the undue influence and threats they face each day at the hands of party workers, particularly from All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) not to recommend the deletion of dead, shifted and duplicate voters from the roll. EC also asked the Kolkata CP to shift the office of the state chief electoral officer (CEO) to a more secure location in view of the recent security breach, while ensuring security of the existing office.In a point-by-point rebuttal of the “baseless allegations” and “unfounded apprehensions” expressed by the AITC delegation, the CEC explained how SIR process cannot be the plausible reason for pressure faced by BLOs, since they are simply required to distribute and collect the enumeration forms (EFs), unlike SIR in Bihar where documents too were collected. Even if the electors cannot be mapped by the BLOs, they can simply have EF signed by the elector and collect it. Such electors will get a notice after the draft roll is published and can prove their eligibility by submitting documents. CEC underlined that as per Article 326 of the Constitution, only Indian citizens can vote and not foreigners. Concerned for BLOs who are torn between doing their duty and facing constant threats from local party workers, EC on Friday told the Bengal DGP and Kolkata CP to deploy state armed police personnel for their protection. If need be, the EC will consider utilising Central forces too. EC on Friday also objected to non-disbursal of the enhanced honorarium to BLOs by the Bengal govt and directed it to do so without delay. Kumar on Friday bluntly told the AITC delegation to ensure that their party workers refrain from interfering with the independent functioning of all poll-related officers including BLOs. The party was told that it will get ample opportunity to seek additions or deletions, first during the claims and objections period after the draft roll is published and then at the appeal stage following publication of the final roll.Ignoring AITC’s reservations, EC on Friday also directed all district election officers (DEOs) to set up polling stations in slums, high-rises and gated residential colonies, as is being done in other states/UTs as per its instructions. Failure to comply may invite strict action, said a source.Reminding the AITC delegation that preparation of electoral roll and conduct of elections is as per the Constitution and electoral laws, EC asked the party to abide by the same. The CEC said that while political rhetoric may be their prerogative, AITC members should refrain from spreading misinformation relating to election procedures.

Picture credit: Sharanya Roy

NEW DELHI: As many as 338 Airbus A320 family aircraft of IndiGo, Air India and AI Express have been impacted by the software issue that could potentially cause pilots to lose control amid intense solar storms. These three airlines have completed the update on 189 planes, nearly 56%, by 10 am on Saturday, according to data submitted by them to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The remaining aircraft will get the mandatory software and/or hardware protection by 5.29 pm on Sunday (Nov 30).IndiGo and AI Group have told the regulator there were no flight cancellations till 10 am Saturday morning. AI Express said eight flights were delayed due to this in that timeframe.

IndiGo has told the DGCA that 200 of its aircraft are affected, of which 143 got the required update by 10 am Saturday. The airline is carrying out the update at Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Kolkata.Air India’s 113 aircraft are affected, of which 42 got the required update by 10 am Saturday. The airline is carrying out the update at Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata.Also Read | Over 300 planes hit: Airbus A320 software snag set to cause major flight disruptions — 10 things to knowAI Express’ 25 aircraft are affected, of which four got the required update by 10 am Saturday. The airline is carrying out the update at Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai. The DGCA on Saturday morning issued a “most urgent” mandatory modifications order for Indian operators of the A320 family aircraft, based on the emergency airworthiness directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The EASA action comes in wake of an American low cost carrier JetBlue’s A320 operating from Cancun to Newark on Oct 30, 2025, unexpectedly pitching downward without pilot input. The uncontrolled descent “likely occurred during an ELAC (flight control computer) switch change,” according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The aircraft diverted to Tampa, where 15-20 passengers were hospitalised. Globally about 6,000 aircraft are likely to be impacted.Tackling this issue requires a software update. For the new A320 family planes, the work requires about half an hour on each plane through “loading facility.” On older A320s, some hardware update will also be required and hence the overall work will take longer. IndiGo said on X: “Airbus has issued a technical advisory for the global A320 fleet. We are proactively completing the mandated updates on our aircraft with full diligence and care, in line with all safety protocols. While we work through these precautionary updates, some flights may see some slight schedule changes.”Air India said: “Following EASA and Airbus directives for a mandatory software and hardware realignment on A320 family aircraft worldwide, our engineers have been working round-the-clock to complete the task at the earliest. We have already completed the reset on over 40% of our aircraft that are impacted by this, and are confident of covering the entire fleet within the timeline prescribed by EASA. Air India can confirm that there have been no cancellations due to this task and there isn’t any major impact on schedule integrity across our network. However, some of our flights may be slightly delayed or rescheduled. Our colleagues on ground are there to assist the passengers.”An Air India Express spokesperson said: “We have initiated immediate precautionary action in response to an alert requiring a software fix on the Airbus A320 fleet. While a majority of our aircraft are not impacted, the guidance applies to operators worldwide and may result in adjustments to flight operations, including potential delays or cancellations. We request guests to ensure their contact details are updated to receive timely notifications and to check the latest flight status…”Airbus said in a statement: “Analysis of a recent event involving an A320 Family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls. Airbus has consequently identified a significant number of A320 family aircraft currently in-service which may be impacted. Airbus has worked proactively with the aviation authorities to request immediate precautionary action from operators via an alert operators transmission (AOT) in order to implement the available software and/or hardware protection, and ensure the fleet is safe to fly. This AOT will be reflected in an emergency airworthiness directive from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).”Airbus “acknowledges these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers” and apologised “for the inconvenience caused”. The European airspace major said it “will work closely with operators, while keeping safety as our number one and overriding priority.”In its emergency airworthiness directive regarding the issue, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) gave the reason for the same: “An Airbus A320 aeroplane recently experienced an uncommanded and limited pitch down event. The autopilot remained engaged throughout the event, with a brief and limited loss of altitude, and the rest of the flight was uneventful. Preliminary technical assessment done by Airbus identified a malfunction of the affected ELAC as possible contributing factor. This condition, if not corrected, could lead in the worst-case scenario to an uncommanded elevator movement that may result in exceeding the aircraft’s structural capability. To address this potential unsafe condition, Airbus issued the alert operators transmission, providing instructions to install a serviceable ELAC.”

Croma’s Black Friday Sale brings one of its most significant smartphone deals of the year, offering the latest iPhone 17 at an effective price of Rs 45,900, a major drop from its India launch price of Rs 82,900. The offer, which runs until November 30, 2025, combines multiple deals to arrive at this reduced amount. Buyers can get a Rs 1,000 bank cashback, an exchange value of up to Rs 29,000, and an additional fixed exchange bonus of Rs 7,000. This multi-layered deal is positioned to attract customers planning to upgrade their smartphones during the Black Friday shopping season.The offer focuses on Apple’s one of newest models and makes the latest generation of iPhones more accessible to a wider audience. By stacking cashback and exchange benefits, customers can significantly reduce the price they pay, depending on the condition and model of the device they choose to exchange. With availability across Croma stores, the deal ensures customers can make their purchase through an authorised retail channel with transparent pricing.

Croma’s Black Friday promotion combines three major benefits to create one of the most substantial price drops on the iPhone 17 this season. The deal is built around bank cashback, the exchange value of an old device, and a fixed exchange bonus. Together, these components reduce the effective price of the phone from its launch price of Rs 82,900 to Rs 45,900 for customers who qualify for the maximum benefits.The offer starts with a modest bank cashback that serves as the base discount. From there, the exchange program delivers the biggest savings. Customers can trade in an eligible smartphone and receive a value that varies based on the device’s age, model and condition. Croma then adds a guaranteed fixed bonus to the trade-in amount, ensuring that even older or lower-value devices contribute to meaningful savings. When combined, these benefits significantly reduce the iPhone 17’s final cost, especially for those exchanging newer or well-maintained phones.Black Friday Sale pricing breakdown

Customers trading in recent iPhone models or smartphones in excellent condition are most likely to unlock the highest exchange value and secure the full benefit of this Black Friday offer.

The iPhone 17 base variant includes several upgrades over its predecessor, making it a strong contender for customers seeking a high-performance smartphone at a reduced price.The device features Apple’s 120Hz ProMotion display, offering smoother scrolling, improved responsiveness, and enhanced visual clarity for both everyday use and media consumption.Apple’s new A19 chipset strengthens the phone’s overall performance, supporting demanding apps, gaming, and multitasking while maintaining energy efficiency.

The front-facing camera receives a significant upgrade with an 18-megapixel sensor that supports Centre Stage, allowing the camera to adjust and keep users centred during video calls.

The iPhone 17 retains Apple’s dual-camera architecture on the back:

These improvements aim to enhance low-light performance, color accuracy, and detail across various shooting conditions.

The device introduces 40W wired charging, which provides quicker recharge times compared to previous models. This enhancement supports users with high daily usage by minimising downtime between charges.

The offer is valid through November 30, 2025, aligning with India’s expanding Black Friday shopping period. Customers can access the deal exclusively through Croma retail stores, ensuring purchase authenticity and access to authorised exchange processing.

Airbus has issued an urgent global alert to A320-family operators, instructing them to immediately fix a newly identified software problem that could affect flight-control systems on thousands of aircraft. The directive which takes effect Saturday evening (US Eastern time) was triggered after Airbus determined that “intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls.” The warning follows a JetBlue A320 incident on October 30, when the jet “unexpectedly pitched downward without pilot input.”

India to ground over 350 jets for 2–3 days

In India, more than 350 A320-family aircraft operated by IndiGo and the Air India group will be grounded for the required fix. The upgrade is expected to be completed within 2–3 days, with normal operations likely by Monday or Tuesday.“Inspection and/or Modification on the following subject is mandatory. Please make necessary amendment in below mentioned Mandatory Modification List. This is to be ensured that no person shall operate the product which falls under the applicability of this Mandatory Modification except those which are in accordance with the compliance to requirement of Mandatory Modification (s)/ applicable Airworthiness Directive(s)…” the DGCA said in a notification issued on Saturday.Globally, the issue affects around 6,000 aircraft, although Airbus says not every A320 is impacted. Most jets can be repaired quickly by reverting to an older software version. About 1,000 older planes will need hardware changes, which will take longer, the company said.The grounding is significant because Airbus and its main rival Boeing together control over three-quarters of the world’s commercial aircraft fleet, meaning any large-scale recall has an immediate and widespread impact on global air traffic.

Why Airbus issued the emergency update?

The rare safety directive on Friday follows an October 30 incident involving a JetBlue A320 that “unexpectedly pitched downward without pilot input” while flying from Cancun to Newark. The aircraft suffered a sudden, uncommanded drop in altitude, forcing an emergency diversion to Tampa, where 15–20 passengers were taken to hospitals. The un-commanded drop in altitude prompted a Federal Aviation Administration investigation.The US National Transportation Safety Board said the sudden drop “likely occurred during an ELAC (flight control computer) switch change.” Airbus has since disclosed that a recent incident showed solar flares can corrupt flight-control data, a risk that prompted the company to rush out immediate repair instructions.

What is intense solar radiation risk?

Investigators have found that ELAC B hardware running software version L104 may be vulnerable to intense solar flares. In extreme cases, this interference could cause the aircraft’s elevators to move unexpectedly, potentially pushing the jet beyond its structural limits, according to Aerospace Global.Solar radiation refers to the stream of energetic particles and electromagnetic waves emitted by the sun, including visible light, ultraviolet rays, and charged particles such as protons and electrons.In aviation, heightened solar activity — such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections — can interact with an aircraft’s electronic systems. This can disrupt sensitive components, including navigation, communication and flight-control data, making solar radiation an important factor in aircraft design, system hardening and overall airspace safety.

List of disrupted A320 operators

Airlines worldwide brace for disruptions

The sweeping recall, one of Airbus’ largest, mandates immediate repairs to 6,000 A320-family jets, affecting more than half the global fleet. The timing has rattled airlines during one of the busiest US travel weekends of the year and is causing disruptions worldwide.Earlier, a Finnair passenger reported nearly an hour’s delay as pilots verified their aircraft’s software version. American Airlines, the largest A320 operator, initially identified about 340 of its 480 jets for the update. “Though we expect some delays as we accomplish these updates, we are intently focused on limiting cancellations, especially with customers returning home from holiday travel,” the airline said in a statement.“Still, our overriding priority will always be the safety of our operation. It’s all hands on deck across our airline to address this Airbus software issue and take care of any customers whose flights are affected” it added.Delta, the fifth-largest A320 operator with 305 aircraft, said it will fully comply with the directive and anticipates only limited impact, with fewer than 50 A321neos requiring the fix. These updates are expected to be completed by Saturday morning. easyJet, meanwhile, has already finished its software upgrades.Colombian carrier Avianca, which has over 70% of its fleet impacted, has paused ticket sales through December 8. Air France is cancelling 35 flights, while Air New Zealand and Volaris are also expecting delays and cancellations.Europe’s aviation regulator, EASA, has instructed airlines to implement the fix “before their next flight,” warning that “These measures may cause short-term disruption to flight schedules and therefore inconvenience to passengers.” “However, as is always the case in aviation, safety is paramount,” it added.

Airlines race to complete fixes that takes hours but…

According to airlines and maintenance experts, the update takes roughly two hours per aircraft, but repair shops are already strained due to ongoing engine-related groundings and labour shortages.The order has triggered one of the biggest software-related recalls in Airbus’s history and arrives at the height of the US holiday travel season, with Sunday and Monday expected to be among Thanksgiving’s busiest flying days. Still, many aircraft are expected to be updated during overnight checks or between scheduled flights.Despite the pressure, many carriers are expected to complete the fix during overnight maintenance windows or in the gaps between scheduled flights. The update itself is straightforward, essentially a rollback to an earlier software version, but must be installed before the aircraft can return to service, except when repositioning to repair centres, according to a bulletin shared with airlines, Reuters reported.Airbus said a recent incident revealed that solar flares can corrupt data essential to flight-control operations, prompting the urgent recall. Industry sources warn that temporary groundings could stretch longer for some carriers, as more than 1,000 affected jets may also require accompanying hardware replacements.Introduced in 1984, the A320 was the first major commercial jet to adopt “fly-by-wire” computerised flight controls. Its closest rival, Boeing’s 737 MAX, was grounded worldwide for an extended period after two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 linked to flawed flight-control software.Globally, about 11,300 A320-family jets are currently in service, including 6,440 of the mainline A320 model, which has been flying since 1987.This latest setback is shaping up to be one of the largest recalls in Airbus’ 55-year history. When the company issued the bulletin to more than 350 operators, about 3,000 A320-family aircraft were airborne, underscoring the scale and urgency of the update.

India will play Sri Lanka in a five-match women’s T20 International (T20I) series from December 21 to 30, 2025, across Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram, as announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). This series marks the first competitive engagement for the Indian women’s cricket team following their triumphant campaign in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup held earlier in November.

Originally, the Indian women’s side was scheduled to host Bangladesh in a similar home series during the same period, but this was postponed due to rising political tensions between the two nations. The Sri Lankan women’s team will be returning to Indian soil for a T20I bilateral series for the first time since 2016, a previous series that India won 3-0.​

IND vs SL: T20I Series details

The T20I series will commence with the first two matches at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on December 21 and December 23. The remaining three matches will be held at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, taking place on December 26, 28, and 30 respectively. This marks a significant milestone for Thiruvananthapuram as it hosts women’s international cricket for the first time, having previously staged men’s international matches and youth contests. The scheduled venues provided Indian women cricketers familiar ground, especially Visakhapatnam, which had recently hosted the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup league matches and the team’s pre-tournament camp.​

The series will act as a crucial stepping stone in the preparation of the Indian team for the upcoming 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales. Furthermore, it serves as an immediate international assignment before the beginning of the fourth season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), scheduled to commence shortly after this T20I series in January 2026. Following the WPL, the Indian women’s team is set to tour Australia for a multi-format series in early 2026, continuing their busy international calendar.​

Also READ: Top 10 most expensive buys in WPL 2026 Player Auction

Why Team India will square off against Sri Lanka instead of Bangladesh?

The originally planned home series against Bangladesh was postponed indefinitely after diplomatic and political tensions escalated between India and Bangladesh. Reports cite the complex political circumstances, including legal cases and extradition demands that contributed to this decision. The postponement affected both the men’s and women’s White-ball tours between the two neighbors, with the men’s series now rescheduled to September 2026. The decision to replace the Bangladesh series with Sri Lanka was pragmatic from BCCI’s perspective allowing the Indian women’s team to maintain match fitness and momentum post their World Cup success.​

Historically, India has dominated bilateral T20I encounters against Sri Lanka at home, including the 2016 clean sweep. The upcoming series offers Sri Lanka an opportunity to challenge the reigning world champions on Indian soil after a long gap. For India, it is a chance to consolidate their strengths and assess new talent ahead of major international tournaments. This series promises exciting competition with high stakes for both sides as they gear up for future challenges in 2026.​

Also READ: WPL 2026 Auction: Complete squads of all 5 teams

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

CBI arrests Assistant Professor in UKSSSC paper leak case

The investigation into the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC) graduate-level recruitment exam has taken a major turn with the arrest of Assistant Professor Suman Chauhan by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), according to an official announcement made by the agency. Chauhan, posted at a government college in Tehri Garhwal, is accused of receiving portions of the exam paper during the test, solving the questions, and transmitting the answers back to a candidate through intermediaries. The CBI described the arrest as an important step in uncovering the broader network behind the paper leak.The leak first came to light after images of three pages of the exam began circulating online, triggering widespread outrage among candidates. The exam, held on 21 September 2025, was conducted for graduate-level posts, including Patwari, Lekhpal, and other administrative positions, with over 1.05 lakh candidates appearing for it.

How the leak allegedly unfolded

According to the FIR and investigation findings reported by TNN, candidate Mohd Khalid Shahzad allegedly photographed the question paper inside the Haridwar exam centre and sent the images to his sisters, Sabiha and Hina, who then forwarded them to Chauhan. Chauhan is accused of solving the questions in real time and sending the answers back to Khalid. The four named individuals are facing charges under provisions related to unfair means in recruitment examinations.Investigators have described the leak as a coordinated effort rather than a spontaneous lapse, highlighting vulnerabilities in exam administration and monitoring. Following the incident, the UKSSSC cancelled the September 21 exam and announced a re-examination within three months to fill the 416 affected vacancies.

Tracing the UKSSSC paper leak: What happened when

Here is what has happened so far in the UKSSSC paper leak case:

Official actions and CBI probe underway

The Uttarakhand government appointed a one-member inquiry commission headed by Justice (Retd.) UC Dhyani, which submitted an interim report to the Chief Minister. The CBI continues its investigation, indicating that further arrests may follow as the agency maps the complete network behind the leak.The case has reignited calls for stricter monitoring, transparency, and stronger safeguards in recruitment examinations. Experts and aspirants have highlighted that the involvement of a sitting academic professional underscores the persistent risk of insider collusion. As per various reports, India has witnessed over 60 major exam leaks since 2010, affecting millions of candidates, with states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat frequently reporting similar incidents.