Scores of aspirants slated to take the Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (UPTET) on Friday faced moments of anxiety in the state’s Bareilly district after severe traffic congestion ensued, triggered by heavy downpours, road repair works and a BJP leader’s roadshow. This prevented several exam-bound candidates from reaching the examination centre on time.

Acknowledging the disruption caused due to the same, the district administration officials said a number of candidates missed the exam’s second shift and added they have decided to write a letter to the UP Government, seeking permission to conduct a fresh examination for the affected candidates.

Administration promises relief

Bareilly District Magistrate (DM) Avinash Kumar Rai said the traffic snarls unfolded due to numerous factors, including persistent rainfall and the roadshow of UP BJP’s Vice-president Durvijay Singh Shakya.

He assured candidates that the administration would approach the state government to request another opportunity for those who were unable to appear because of circumstances beyond their control.

Rai further said that to the best of his knowledge, no prior permission had been obtained for the roadshow. According to official statistics, 4,875 of the 5,639 registered candidates attended the exam’s first shift, while 764 remained absent. The footfall dipped further during the second shift, as only 4,455 candidates showed up and 1,184 remained absent. However, the administration stopped short of attributing the higher absentee rate solely to the traffic congestion.

Candidates narrate ordeal

Several UPTET aspirants alleged that they remained stuck for hours on the Bareilly-Badaun Road owing to VIP movement, as a result of which, they were unable to reach their examination centres before the reporting deadline.

One candidate told news agency PTI that she was stuck in traffic for as much as 90 minutes and consequently missed the examination at her allotted centre, an inter-college on Nainital Road. She said two other female candidates travelling with her also failed to reach the venue in time, while eight to ten women were caught in the same traffic queue.

Calling the situation immensely distressing, she urged the authorities to conduct a re-examination for all candidates whose chances were affected by the traffic disruption.

Political row erupts over incident

Samajwadi Party MP Aditya Yadav slammed the state government, accusing it of jeopardising the future of thousands of aspirants. He demanded that a fair enquiry be conducted into the incident and urged the authorities to avoid permitting political events on days when major competitive exams are scheduled.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Bareilly, Ankita Sharma said the traffic movement was already slow due to continuous downpours and repair work on an overbridge. According to her, the BJP leader’s roadshow entered the city at around 2:20 pm, adding to traffic woes, while the cops plunged into action to ease the bottlenecks.

BJP leader shuns allegations

Durvijay Singh Shakya denied his roadshow’s role behind the disruption. He said he had left his house at around 10:40 pm, after the first examination shift had already begun, and claimed that his convoy was halted at two locations to allow exam candidates to pass.

He contended that heavy rains and ongoing infrastructural works had slowed down traffic significantly and said it was unfair to pass the buck on his roadshow.