Exam impersonator arrested in UP PET test; 21 candidates under AI suspicion

A man identified as Pawan Kumar Sharma was arrested in Ghaziabad on the opening day of the Uttar Pradesh Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) 2026 after he was found appearing in the examination in place of another candidate, Rajnesh Sharma, according to officials.

The arrest marks the first major incident of candidate impersonation detected during the competitive test series. Authorities stated that Sharma had gained entry to the examination hall using fraudulent credentials and was apprehended after cross-verification procedures flagged irregularities in documentation.

In a related development, examination officials have initiated investigations into 21 other candidates for suspected irregular conduct during the same testing period. Fourteen candidates from the first sitting and seven from the second sitting are under scrutiny for allegedly using artificial intelligence-based tools to solve examination questions, officials said.

The Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission has intensified monitoring protocols across examination centers to prevent such violations. The incidents underscore growing concerns about examination integrity as technology-enabled cheating methods become increasingly sophisticated across India's competitive testing landscape.

Authorities have indicated that further action will be taken based on the outcome of ongoing investigations into the flagged candidates.