Samajwadi Party chief minister Akhilesh Yadav aimed a sharp barb at the Centre on Friday, 2 March, over the alleged question paper leak of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) examination.

Yadav, a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, took to Twitter to attack the Centre over what he dubbed a “scam” and demanded a probe into it.

“SSC Scam has exposed the arrogance of the government in dealing with the genuine demands of unemployed youth. This Digital India Scam should be investigated. Why are those who launch probes for every matter shying away from probing this?” he wrote.

Yadav asked whether the youth will continue to waste their energy and lives waiting for jobs.

#SSCScam ने साबित कर दिया है कि बेरोजगार युवाओं की जायज़ मांग को लेकर सरकार कितनी अहंकारी हो गयी है. इस Digital India Scam की जाँच होनी ही चाहिए. बात-बात पर जाँच करानेवाले इस स्कैम की जाँच से क्यों कतरा रहे हैं? युवाओं की सारी ऊर्जा और उम्र क्या नौकरी के इंतज़ार में ही जायेगी.

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 2, 2018

Protests erupted on 27 February in the national capital over the alleged question paper leak in the Combined Graduate Level Examination (CGLE) Tier II held in February. The exam is conducted online and is held to fill clerical posts in various government offices.

On Thursday, 1 March, candidates who appeared for the examinations were seen holding banners and placards demanding a CBI probe in the matter outside the office of the Staff Selection Commission in New Delhi.

SSC said that the Commission’s Chairman, Ashim Khurana, met a delegation of protesting candidates at 6 pm on 28 February who came “with printouts of some questions of CGLE (Tier-II) 2017”.

According to the official notification on the SSC website, the protesters “were advised to provide concrete evidence in support of their allegations by 10.30 am on 1 March 2018”.

The Chairman said that following the receipt of such evidence, the Commission would, in consultation with the DoP&T, refer the matter to be enquired into by an independent investigating agency.

On 1 March, a delegation of the candidates met Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State, Ministry of Personnel, Pension and Public Grievances, at 3.30 pm at the latter’s residence along with the Commission’s Chairman.

According to a notification on the official SSC website, the minister said that the evidence provided by the candidates should be taken on record and matter be inquired by the CBI if allegation is found substantiated.

“Else, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police which is already seized of the matter upon a referral by Staff Selection Commission, shall complete its enquiry in a time bound manner and submit its report for further necessary action,” the notification read.

The notification further states: “It was decided that to ensure legal sanctity of the digital evidence concerning the question paper alleged to have been leaked (which was essentially withdrawn and cancelled on technical grounds), the downloading and printing of the same will take place at the Central Server of the Service Provider of the Staff Selection Commission by requisitioning forensic experts of CFSL, CBI in presence of the witnesses of the delegation. Since the Central Server of the Service Provider is located at Chennai, therefore, this activity shall be initiated on the next working day i.e. 5 March 2018.”

According to the candidates, photos of the question paper had gone viral even before the exam was over. The Paper-I of 21 February was cancelled by the Staff Selection Commission on account of technical issues.