REET 2021: Rajasthan govt cancels level 2 exam, to be held again for 62,000 posts

New Delhi: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday announced the cancellation of Level-2 examination of Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers-2021 (REET) amid accusations of largescale irregularities. He also announced to reconduct the exam for 62,000 posts instead of the exisiting 32,000 posts.

First, the eligibility examination will be conducted and then a final examination will be held, the chief minister said. Gehlot said that the state government will enact a law with strict measures to stop exam paper leak and ensure that exams are conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

"We have decided to cancel REET Level-2 exam and it will be conducted afresh. Paper leak did not occur in Level-1 exam so only Level-2 will be reconducted," Gehlot told reporters at a press conference here today. The Chief Minister also tweeted, "In the cabinet meeting held at the Chief Minister's residence, it has been decided to cancel the REET Level-2 exam. The level-1 process will continue as before. Now there will be recruitment for a total of 62,000 posts in both levels. Youth should be rest assured, the state government is fully standing by in their interest."

He said that Special Operations Group (SOG) is investigating the discrepancies in the REET exam. The state government will ensure justice to the youth by punishing every guilty, he stressed. REET Level-2 exam is conducted for selection of teachers to teach students Class 6 to 8. "We are not happy with the decision to cancel the exam as future of lakhs of youths is associated," the cheif minister said.

But, the state government had to take the decision to cancel the exam due to the protests of the BJP held to "malign the state government", he said. The BJP was indulging in protests "gimmicks" on the directions of the central government, he further alleged. Recently, the Board of Secondary Education Chairman DP Jaroli was sacked and the board secretary Arvind Kumar and two others were suspended by the state government on Saturday in connection with the paper leak of REET-2021.

मुख्यमंत्री निवास पर आयोजित कैबिनेट बैठक में REET लेवल-2 की परीक्षा को रद्द करने का फैसला किया है। लेवल-1 की प्रक्रिया पूर्ववत जारी रहेगी। अब दोनों लेवल मिलाकर कुल 62,000 पदों के लिए भर्ती होगी। युवा निश्चिंत रहें, प्रदेश सरकार उनके हित में पूरी तरह साथ खड़ी है।

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) February 7, 2022

When the irregularities in the conduct of exams had emerged in September last year, the state government had suspended one RAS and two RPS officers, 13 personnel of the education department, and three other policemen. About 38 people have been arrested in the paper leak case by the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan police.

(With inputs from PTI)