The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, 5 November 2026 alleged serious irregularities in the Punjab Civil Services (PCS) 2025 Main Examination, accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of operating a 'paper leak mafia' under the direct directions of party chief Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The allegations surfaced hours after the results of the Punjab State Civil Services Combined Competitive Examination (PSCSCCE) 2025 Mains were declared late on Wednesday night, prompting an immediate backlash from candidates who raised concerns about the selection process.

Key Allegations at the Press Conference

Addressing a press conference, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari described the AAP as a party 'tainted by corruption and drug menace' and levelled pointed charges at its top leadership. 'It is now, under the instructions of Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann, a paper-leak mafia is being facilitated in Punjab. This mafia is being supported, promoted, and shielded by the Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann-led government,' Bhandari alleged.

Bhandari noted that allegations of fraud and irregularities emerged almost immediately after the results were announced — a pattern he said was consistent with broader governance failures under the AAP administration in the state.

Unregistered Roll Numbers and Exam Centre Anomalies

Among the most specific claims made by the BJP was that candidates 'whose roll numbers were never even registered for the examination' had been selected in the results. Bhandari attributed this to a failure of the Punjab Public Service Commission, which he said had also taken more than two years to declare the results of a Mains examination last held in 2020.

The BJP spokesperson further alleged a striking concentration of successful candidates from a single examination centre. According to Bhandari, approximately 24.2 per cent of selected candidates came from one centre, while a neighbouring centre accounted for just 2 per cent — a disparity he described as 'logically and conceptually implausible.' He added that every examination centre was located in Patiala, and that the high-performing centre falls within the constituency of an AAP Member of Parliament and a Congress MP, raising what he called questions of potential inter-party collusion.

Interview Process Also Questioned

Beyond the written examination, Bhandari alleged that the interview process was not conducted properly, though he did not provide specific details of the procedural lapses at the press conference. The BJP leader questioned whether Kejriwal and Mann had 'leveraged their political influence and party connections to run a money racket or favour relatives and acquaintances' at the specific examination centre in question.

Political Context and What Comes Next

The allegations come amid a charged political climate in Punjab, where the AAP government is already under scrutiny on multiple governance fronts. The BJP's broadside is likely to intensify pressure on the state administration to order an independent inquiry into the PSCSCCE 2025 results. Critics argue that a credible probe must include an audit of candidate roll-number registrations, centre-wise selection data, and the interview shortlisting process.

Neither Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann nor any AAP leader had issued a formal response to the allegations at the time of reporting. The Punjab Public Service Commission has also not commented publicly on the claims. How the AAP government responds — and whether it orders a re-examination or independent audit — will be closely watched by aspirants and civil-society groups in the state.