Who is an opportunist? UP exam for cop aspirants lists ‘Pandit’ as an option, draws scrutiny

What is the one word for this phrase in Hindi: “Avsar ke anusar badal jaane waala (one who converts oneself as per the opportunity)?” Four options are presented to examinees: A) Sadachari, B) Pandit, C) Avsarvadi and D) Nishkapat.

The question was part of an exam held by the Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment & Promotion Board on Saturday for aspirants for the post of sub-inspector in the state police.

The question, according to highly placed sources, has caught the attention of authorities.

Later in the evening, Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, in a post in Hindi on X, said, “The question that appeared in the Uttar Pradesh Police recruitment examination and the options given in it have raised serious objections from us.

The government has taken the matter very seriously.

If any question hurts the dignity of any society or community, it is absolutely unacceptable.”
He said instructions have been given to investigate the matter and that “strict action will be taken against those responsible”.

“I want to state clearly that there should be no place for derogatory words against any caste, community, or tradition,” said Pathak, the Brahmin face in the UP BJP Government.

The Board is conducting a two-day written examination for the direct recruitment of sub-inspectors and other equivalent posts.

The examination was held in two shifts on Saturday, morning and noon, and will be held in two shifts on Sunday too.

The candidates in the first shift were given a 26-page question paper divided into four sections, each with 40 questions.

The sections are General Hindi; Basic Law/Constitution/General Knowledge; Numerical and Mental Ability Test; and Mental Aptitude Test/IQ Test/Reasoning.

This was the 31st question in the General Hindi section.

The Chairman of the Board, Director General S B Shiradkar, and Member Secretary of the Board, ADG Ashok Kumar Singh, did not respond to calls seeking a comment.

Attendants on the office landline said they were busy because it was examination day.

Late Saturday night, in a post on X, the Board’s Controller of Examination issued a clarification about the procedure to set the question paper.

“With regard to the concerned question from the first shift on 14 March 2026, orders have been issued for an investigation.

After the inquiry, responsibility will be determined and appropriate action will be ensured against those found responsible,” the post read.

The question papers for police recruitment examinations are not prepared locally by the Board itself, the post read.

Instead, the work is carried out through highly confidential institutions to ensure the question papers remains fully protected before the examination, it read.

To maintain this secrecy, no officer or employee at the Board is allowed to view the question papers prior to the examination.

The sealed packets containing question papers are opened for the first time in the examination halls at examination centres, in the presence of two candidates, after which the papers are distributed, the post read.

Thedevelopment comes at a timewhen the BJP government at the Centre is facing opposition over regulations to deal with discrimination, including on the basis of caste, in higher education institutions, which were notified by the University Grants Commission in January.

It also comes weeks after arow over the title of a moviestarring Manoj Bajpai,Ghooskhor Pandat.

Cornered over charges of anti-Brahmin bias and facing FIRs across the country and petitions in court, the filmmakers had finally decided to withdraw ‘Pandat’ from the title last month.

It also comes against the backdrop of churnings in the state’s political landscape.

In December, a meeting was held between BJP’s Brahmin MLAs from Uttar Pradesh, who, sources say, have been feeling increasingly sidelined in the state government.

The meeting did not go well within the party, and within a few days, newly elected state president Pankaj Chaudhary issued a warning in a letter that was released publicly.

Chaudhary said that meetings organised on the basis of caste, community or group should be avoided, and warned of disciplinary action.

Chaudhary’s letter faced criticism from some quarters, who said it was an attempt to gag a community’s voice.

The Samajwadi Party and the BSP then came out in support of the Brahmin community, while criticising the BJP.

And earlier this month, at a gathering of Brahmins held in an auditorium inLucknow, former Deputy CM and current BJPRajya SabhaMP Dinesh Sharma, himself a Brahmin, faced sloganeering and was forced to stop his address over not raising his voice for the community and keeping silent on the UGC row.

Bhupendra Pandey is the Resident Editor of the Lucknow edition of The Indian Express.

With decades of experience in the heart of Uttar Pradesh’s journalistic landscape, he oversees the bureau’s coverage of India’s most politically significant state.

His expertise lies in navigating the complex intersections of state governance, legislative policy, and grassroots social movements.

From tracking high-stakes assembly elections to analyzing administrative shifts in the Hindi heartland, Bhupendra’s reportage provides a definitive lens on the region's evolution.

Authoritativeness He leads a team of seasoned reporters and investigators, ensuring that The Indian Express’ signature "Journalism of Courage" is reflected in every regional story.

His leadership is central to the Lucknow bureau’s reputation for breaking stories that hold the powerful to account, making him a trusted figure for policy analysts, political scholars, and the general public seeking to understand the nuances of UP’s complex landscape.

Trustworthiness & Accountability Under his stewardship, the Lucknow edition adheres to the strictest standards of factual verification and non-partisan reporting.

He serves as a bridge between the local populace and the national discourse, ensuring that regional issues are elevated with accuracy and context.

By prioritizing primary-source reporting and on-the-ground verification, he upholds the trust that readers have placed in the Express brand for nearly a century....

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