The Rajasthan government has registered 163 FIRs and arrested 569 accused in connection with examination paper leak rackets across the state, according to officials. In the high-profile Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment examination irregularities case alone, 150 people — including 71 Sub-Inspectors — have been taken into custody as part of an ongoing probe. The crackdown, officials say, is central to Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma's stated zero-tolerance policy on recruitment fraud.

Scale of the Crackdown

Authorities have taken sweeping action against what they describe as an entrenched paper leak network. Former Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) members Babulal Katara and Ramuram Raika have both been arrested as part of the investigation, signalling that the probe has reached senior institutional levels.

Beyond arrests, the government has initiated strict departmental action against those allegedly found to have secured positions through fraudulent means. Services of 188 government employees have been terminated, and appointment orders for 135 Physical Education Teachers have been cancelled. Investigations are currently underway against 454 government employees suspected of involvement in recruitment irregularities, including cases of OMR sheet manipulation, use of dummy candidates, and submission of forged documents.

Background: Allegations Against the Previous Government

The current administration has framed the crackdown as a corrective response to alleged systemic failures under the previous Indian National Congress (INC) government. According to state officials, question papers for 17 recruitment examinations were reportedly leaked during that tenure, affecting lakhs of candidates and eroding public confidence in the hiring process.

Notably, this is not an isolated pattern in India — paper leak scandals have disrupted competitive examinations across multiple states, prompting calls for a national-level legislative response. Rajasthan's scale of action — 163 FIRs in roughly two and a half years — is among the more aggressive state-level responses recorded in recent times.

Recruitment Reforms and New Appointments

Alongside enforcement, the government says it has conducted 383 recruitment examinations over the past two and a half years under enhanced transparency protocols and a strengthened verification framework. Officials claim these reforms have materially improved the credibility of the state's hiring process.

On the employment front, the government reports that more than 1.78 lakh appointments have been issued during this period. Recruitment for approximately one lakh additional posts is currently underway, and a recruitment calendar covering 1.25 lakh new vacancies has been released, according to official statements.

What Comes Next

With investigations against 454 employees still active and the SI recruitment case continuing, further arrests and departmental actions are expected. The government's ability to sustain momentum — and to ensure that the 383 examinations conducted under its watch hold up to independent scrutiny — will determine whether the reforms translate into lasting confidence among Rajasthan's job aspirants.