Amid accusations of paper leak, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday announced the cancellation of Level-2 exam of Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers-2021 (REET).

The decision was taken in the state cabinet meeting chaired by Gehlot.

The chief minister also said that the exam will now be re-conducted for 62,000 posts instead of 32,000 posts. First, an eligibility examination will be conducted and then a final examination will be held, he said.

REET level-2 exam is conducted for the selection of teachers to teach students of classes 6 to 8.

Accusing the BJP of misleading people and making non-issue an issue, Gehlot said that the opposition was frustrated because there was no anti-incumbency factor against the state government even after three years of its rule.

“We are not happy with the decision to cancel the exam as the future of lakhs of youths is associated with it,” Gehlot said at a press conference at his residence.

But, the decision was taken due to the protest “gimmicks” of the BJP to malign the state government, he said.

The chief minister also said that the state government will enact a law with strict measures to stop exam paper leaks and ensure that exams are conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

He said that it was not the first instance of paper leak and such incidents have taken place in other states like Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh in recent years and it should be looked into why such cheating gangs have been formed.

He said that the opposition in Rajasthan has no issue against the state government and is frustrated, therefore the Saffron party’s state unit is carrying out the agenda given by the BJP high command.

Gehlot also said that the BJP leaders who are divulging facts regarding the REET paper leak should tell why not they informed the government about it before the exam if they had so much detail about the paper leak.

He said that there are different gangs involved in acts like paper leak, and the leaders who have been making allegations should tell from which gang they belong.

He said that those who have information about the crime are also a partner in crime and Special Operation Group of Rajasthan Police should investigate this also.

Earlier in the day, BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena accused the involvement of ministers and officials from the CMO.

He, in a press conference, named former education minister Govind Singh Dotasra, state minister Subhash Garg, some officials and personnel working at CMO as having a connection with the paper leak.

Gehlot said that the allegations made by Meena should not be taken seriously. He said that Meena was sidelined by the BJP leaders in Jaipur and he has to please the central leaders of his party.

REET was conducted in September last year. After the allegations of paper leak, the investigation was handed over to Special Operation Group which so far has arrested 38 persons in connection with the paper leak.

The state government a few days back also terminated the chairman of Board of Secondary Education DP Jaroli and suspended the board secretary Arvind Kumar for irregularities in conducting the exam.

When the irregularities in the conduct of exams had emerged last year, the state government had suspended one RAS and two RPS officers, 13 personnel of the education department, and three other policemen.

Also read: REET 2021 paper leak: BJP MP reiterates demand for CBI inquiry