Chennai: A group of candidates who appeared for Tamil Nadu’s UPSC Prelims Scholarship screening examination has sought an inquiry into alleged irregularities after the top-ranked candidate scored 197.33 out of 200 marks.
The examination was conducted on September 6, 2026, and the results were released last week. Candidates submitted a petition at the office of the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police, raising questions about the result and seeking an investigation into the examination process.
Candidates Raise Questions Over Examination Conduct
According to the petitioners, the candidate who secured the highest score allegedly left the examination hall with the question paper and returned after around 20 minutes. They said the incident had reportedly been discussed by another candidate who was present at the same examination centre.
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Some candidates have also made similar allegations on social media regarding the Coimbatore examination centre. These claims have not been independently established.
Candidates also pointed to the difference between the top two scores. The highest score was 197.33, while the second-highest was 144.62, a difference of 52.71 marks.
The top score was also higher than the highest scores reported in the previous three years — 172 in 2023, 167.3 in 2024 and 139.94 in 2025. However, the score itself does not establish that any malpractice occurred.
Officials Examine Whether Result Should Be Withheld
Officials told the media that the issue of the candidate leaving the examination hall with the question paper had been raised at the examination centre itself. They also acknowledged that the candidate’s score was unusually high.
A decision on whether to withhold the candidate’s result was expected before certificate verification, according to the report.
The examination is conducted by the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC) under the state’s Naan Mudhalvan Competitive Exams initiative. The programme is designed to support Tamil Nadu candidates preparing for Union government competitive examinations.
For the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Scholarship, 1,000 candidates are selected for a monthly scholarship of ₹7,500 for 10 months. The screening test is used to shortlist beneficiaries, while the programme also provides access to related civil-services training opportunities.
The September 6 examination was held at 114 centres across Tamil Nadu. Of 25,771 registered candidates, 19,614 appeared for the test, according to contemporaneous reporting citing the Directorate of Government Examinations.
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