KKN Gurugram Desk | The investigation into the Madhya Pradesh Police Constable Recruitment Scam has taken a significant turn with the arrest of seven members of a solver gang, including two masterminds who allegedly appeared in exams on behalf of at least 13 different candidates. The arrests have exposed a wider racket of impersonation and document fraud in one of the state’s major recruitment drives.

The fraud came to light during document verification rounds in Alirajpur and Sheopur districts, where officials discovered that the candidates who had appeared for the physical and written exams did not match the identities of those who submitted final documentation.

Key Highlights

• Fraud Detected in MP Police Constable Recruitment 2023–24

• 7 individuals arrested, including 2 professional exam solvers

• 13 impersonations confirmed across multiple districts

• Fraud surfaced during document verification in Alirajpur and Sheopur

• Investigation underway to trace beneficiaries and recruitment officials possibly involved

 How the Scam Was Exposed

The recruitment process for Madhya Pradesh Police Constables, one of the largest public employment exercises in the state, entered its final stages with document verification in May–June 2025. During this process, anomalies began surfacing when biometric and photo records from the exam did not match the candidates who turned up for verification.

Officials in Alirajpur and Sheopur districts reported that at least 13 selected candidates had likely used proxies (solvers) to take their written exams.

Initial Red Flags:

• Mismatch in candidate photographs

• Inconsistencies in biometric records (fingerprint/IRIS)

• Differences in physical appearance during final rounds

 Who Are the Solvers? Details on Arrested Individuals

Two of the seven arrested have been identified as career solvers, who specialize in impersonation-based exam fraud. According to police officials, the duo traveled across multiple cities, taking recruitment tests for other candidates in exchange for money.

Known Details:

• Both main accused have impersonated candidates at least 13 times.

• They operated primarily in Gwalior, Morena, and Bhopal before branching into rural districts.

• Clients (original candidates) allegedly paid ₹3–5 lakhs for guaranteed selection.

Police Constable Recruitment: A High-Stakes Process

The MP Police Constable Exam is conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB), also known as Vyapam, a body that has previously faced scrutiny for exam-related fraud.

Exam Structure:

• Written Examination

• Physical Efficiency Test (PET)

• Document Verification

• Medical Examination

The exam attracted over 10 lakh applicants for approximately 7,500 constable posts. With government jobs seen as stable, corruption and malpractices have increasingly infiltrated such recruitment drives.

 Modus Operandi: How the Scam Worked

Step-by-Step Breakdown:

1. Contact & Deal: Aspirants unable to clear exams reached out to middlemen in coaching hubs.

2. ID Swap: Solvers obtained forged ID cards with edited photos and details.

3. Exam Appearance: Solvers appeared in the CBT (Computer-Based Test) using fake documents.

4. Result & Verification: Once selected, the real candidate would attend physical test and document submission, hoping to escape scrutiny.

5. Exposure: Facial mismatches and biometric inconsistencies led to arrests.

According to sources, this exam fraud network spans multiple states, with similar operations in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.

 Official Investigation and Response from Authorities

The Madhya Pradesh Police have initiated a state-wide probe, and FIRs have been lodged under:

• IPC Section 420 – Cheating

• IPC Section 468 – Forgery for purpose of cheating

• IPC Section 471 – Using forged documents as genuine

• Information Technology Act – Misuse of digital records and data

Senior officials from the Special Task Force (STF) and Cyber Crime Cell are now tracking digital footprints, bank transactions, and call records.

Statement from MP DGP:

“This is a serious breach of recruitment integrity. We will ensure not only the solvers but also the main beneficiaries face strict action.”

 Legal Implications for Beneficiary Candidates

All 13 candidates who used proxies are likely to face:

• Immediate disqualification

• Lifetime ban from state-level recruitment exams

• Legal action under criminal fraud statutes

The Madhya Pradesh government is also considering policy-level changes to introduce biometric verification at all exam stages.

 Public Reactions and Political Response

The exposure of yet another recruitment scam has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum.

Opposition Allegations:

• Failure of MPPEB and recruitment officials to detect impersonation at earlier stages

• Alleged collusion of low-level staff with middlemen

• Delay in introducing stricter exam monitoring protocols

Civil Society and Education Experts:

• Demand for integration of Aadhaar-based authentication

• Use of AI for face recognition in recruitment processes

• Greater transparency in the selection pipeline

 Previous Exam Scams in MP: Vyapam Ghost Still Haunts

The current controversy revives memories of the Vyapam scam, one of India’s largest examination frauds involving politicians, bureaucrats, and middlemen.

Vyapam Scam Flashback:

• Involved impersonation in medical and professional exams

• Over 2,000 arrests

• At least 40 mysterious deaths linked to the scam during the probe

• Led to Supreme Court-monitored CBI investigation

The solver gang busted this week appears to follow the same template of document forgery, impersonation, and middleman networks, raising concerns that exam integrity remains at risk even after a decade of reforms.

 Preventive Measures Under Consideration

To address future vulnerabilities, the Madhya Pradesh government is planning to:

• Implement facial recognition systems at exam centers

• Mandate live video recording during all exams

• Integrate real-time biometric matching during document checks

• Blacklist candidates and solvers involved in fraudulent activity

The Department of Home Affairs has requested a full audit of the recent constable recruitment cycle.

 Timeline of Key Events

Call for National-Level Exam Reform

Education policy experts are calling for the centralization of exam monitoring mechanisms. Suggested reforms include:

• Creation of a National Recruitment Integrity Authority

• Inter-state database of blacklisted candidates

• Public access to recruitment audit reports

The MP Police Constable recruitment scam is a chilling reminder that exam integrity in India’s public sector remains vulnerable to organized fraud. The arrest of seven solver gang members is just the beginning of what may reveal a larger racket involving intermediaries, officials, and potentially even training centers.

For the millions of deserving candidates who prepare with sincerity, such incidents threaten not only trust in the system but also the future of transparent recruitment in India. The state’s swift action must now be backed by systemic reforms, tighter digital security, and continuous monitoring.