PRAYAGRAJ, March 3 -- The UP Board has written to the director general of police (DGP), urging a thorough probe against the proxy candidates caught during the ongoing 2026 high school and intermediate exams so far and the solver gangs involved in the crime. These fake candidates managed to slip past the Board's anti-copying measures and entered examination halls using altered admit cards. Confirming the development, UP Board secretary Bhagwati Singh said an analysis of FIRs filed last year showed three main reasons behind such cases. "The first is money, with solver gangs allegedly earning between Rs 30,000 and Rs 1 lakh for each candidate. The second is family involvement, where relatives stepped in for academically weak students and the third reason is friendship, where friends take the risk of appearing on someone else's behalf," he added. Singh said the DGP has been given details of 22 FIRs filed against 49 impersonators during the ongoing UP Board exams, along with information on proxy candidates caught in 15 districts. The pattern shows these incidents are not isolated acts of cheating but part of a well-organised criminal network that threatens the credibility of the education system. Preliminary departmental inquiries also reveal that many of the fake candidates caught were underage or financially weak youths who were lured with false assurances or promises of money. In a letter dated February 26, the Board pointed out that despite a three-tier monitoring system-including CCTV cameras with voice recorders, mobile squads and assistance from the STF-some proxy candidates still managed to write the exams. In one case, a copy of an exam paper was found outside the centre. FIRs in these cases have been filed under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2004. The DGP has been asked to ensure that investigators identify the leaders of these solver gangs and the fund collectors who manage the money involved in the scam so that strict action can be taken. The investigation must also look into the possible involvement of centre administrators, inspectors or departmental staff in the illegal act. The letter further states that if parents are found to have knowingly paid money or arranged dummy candidates to give their children an unfair advantage, they should also be treated as part of the conspiracy. Since the entire exam process is under CCTV surveillance and administrators are required to preserve recordings, investigating officers must collect CCTV footage in every case as evidence. The UP Board secretary called for strong chargesheets in all FIRs so that offenders receive the maximum punishment-up to seven years in jail and a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh. Last year, 51 such fake candidates were caught. The Board has also directed all DIoS offices to fully cooperate with the police....