English exam cancelled in 24 districts in Uttar Pradesh 

The question paper was suspected to have been leaked in Ballia, said officials.

The Uttar Pradesh Board Intermediate examination for English subject scheduled for Wednesday afternoon was cancelled at the last minute in 24 districts of the State after the question paper was suspected to have been leaked in Ballia, said officials.

The examination would be conducted as per schedule in the remaining 51 districts, the government said.

The districts where the examination was cancelled include major centres such as Agra, Mathura, Aligarh, Gorakhpur, Azamgarh, Ghaziabad and Varanasi.

The examination scheduled at 2 p.m. on Wednesday was cancelled upon apprehension of disclosure of question paper series 316 E D and 316 E I in Ballia, said Vinay Kumar Pandey, education director, U.P. Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad.

A fresh date to conduct the examination in the 24 districts would be announced soon, he said.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav criticised the BJP government over the question paper leak. “The business of getting question papers leaked continues unabated even in the second innings of the BJP government in U.P. The youth believes that the BJP deliberately does not want to conclude any examination as it has failed in providing employment,” Mr. Yadav said in a tweet.